Teatro di Valle Mosso
This is the ‘Teatro di Valle Mosso’, an abandoned movie theater in the Northern part of Italy. It was build in the 1930s and was left empty in 1986. Today the building is in a bad state and for sale.
This old Italian cinema opened in the early 1930s. At that time, it was the only cinema in the area. One of the first managers was Pietro Monasso. He worked here before and after the Second World War.
In 1960, the cinema became the property of ENAL. This was a national worker union. ENAL helped workers and their families. They organized sports, culture, and summer camps. ENAL replaced an older group, which was started by the fascist government in 1925.
Ennio Monasso
After ENAL took over, the building was made bigger. A bar, an ice cream shop, and a billiard room were added. Between 1960 and 1975, Pietro’s son, Ennio Monasso, ran the place. Ennio loved movies, theater, and art. He turned the cinema into a popular meeting place for the people of Valle Mosso. In 1975, ENAL stopped managing the cinema. Without money, the cinema had to close.
The Petit Bar
But Ennio did not leave. He opened a new place in the basement called the ‘Petit Bar’. A sign at the door said: “You and him together at the Petit Bar. Tavern and disco. A place for people in love.” The Petit Bar had a disco, live music, and even strip shows. There were also small rooms with panels for couples. It was a big success at first. But in the late 1980s, the bar closed. Since then, the building has been empty.
Today, the old cinema is still abandoned. The Italian State owns it. No repairs have been made. It is now for sale for 114,000 euros. I visited the Teatro di Valle Mosso in 2021. Follow this link to explore more abandoned theaters.
