A solemn ceremony took place in Bishkek to mark the beginning of construction of a modern cultural center, which will occupy the site of the once-famous cinema "Chatyr-Kul." It is expected that the new facility will open its doors as early as September of this year, according to the city administration.
Attending the event were Bishkek Mayor Aibek Junushaliev, the Minister of Culture, Information, and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan Mirbek Mambetaliev, as well as local residents.
The mayor noted that no residential building will be constructed on this site. "A cultural center will be built here, which will be no less significant than 'Chatyr-Kul' was. We will adhere to all construction norms and deadlines to open it in September," he emphasized.
The project for the cultural center is being implemented by the Bishkek city administration. Plans include the construction of a three-story building with an underground parking lot accommodating 92 cars. The land area is 0.4 hectares, and the total area of the building will be 2,490 square meters. The new center will feature a cinema with 420 seats, classrooms for music and theater classes, food court areas, and an exhibition hall with 330 seats.
For reference: The "Chatyr-Kul" cinema was opened in 1967 in the Botanical residential area and had 600 seats. In 2010, the building was nationalized and transferred to the state youth theater "Uchur," but no major repairs were carried out, and in recent years the cinema was not operational. On November 5, 2025, a fire occurred in the building, after which the mayor ordered to determine the future of the site and expedite the construction of the new cultural center.
