The Municipal open-air cinema of Chania is located in the Municipal Garden.

The area is in perfect harmony with the lush environment of the Garden; meanwhile, the stone-built clock which was constructed in 1913 brings a touch of splendour to the site.

During the Garden’s first years of operation, even before the arrival of electricity to the area, the pervasive smell of acetylene and of the oil from the oil lamps blended with the honey-like scent of jasmines and primroses. Only oil lanterns were used for lighting. The hand-cranked movie projector used acetylene flame for projection, which was very dangerous for the flammable cellulose film.

– “Sit as comfortably as you can on the wooden benches”, regardless of how uncomfortable they are, “and don’t rush out to leave when the films ends. The projectionist might think that you want avoid paying him the customary tip”, the so-called “lantern tip””…

Those were the early days of the longest-lasting, genuinely popular and (for more than a century) sole cultural centre of Chania. The pioneering Kipos Cinema, which although it has always been owned by the Municipality, as is the case with the Municipal Garden, it has also been leased out (and the cafeteria) to well-known businessmen. In the golden and very profitable era of cinema it was leased out to prominent businessmen of Chania such as Manolikakis, Savvakis, Spandagos, Hatzidakis, Venianakis, Polakis and Bonanos; under Spandagos it was relocated under the Clock and turned from a primitive “acetylene-run” cinema into an “electricity-run” cinema, it was equipped with a panoramic screen and later, in the cinemascope era, it was renamed “Titania”.

On March 6, 1980 the Municipal Council of Chania (decision number 13) established the “KIPOS” Municipal Cinema – the first of its kind in Greece.

It was not an easy decision. Some were reluctant, others were worried. It was the first time that the Municipality would become an entrepreneur and there was no institutional framework to support this decision (the Law on Municipal Enterprises would be adopted several years later).

The administrative committee of the cinema comprised members of the municipal council and of the Cinema Club, who were also responsible for selecting the movies. It was all set in no time; seats and a movie projector –among other equipment– were purchased, and on May 30, 1980 the first screening took place: “The Serpent’s Egg” by Ingmar Bergman. It was the beginning of an experiment….

All these years, KIPOS Cinema has attracted all cinema enthusiasts of Chania and people visiting the city.

KIPOS Cinema continues its journey into images and sounds as a unique example of culture and entertainment.