Kursaal

The development of thermal activities and the increase in tourism led to the construction of tourist facilities in Montecatini, such as the Kursaal Casino Theatre. Dating back to 1904, it represented the center of Montecatini's social life from its inception. Between 1914 and 1921, the building was expanded according to the project of architect Giulio Bernardini (Pescia - PT, August 16, 1863 - March 3, 1946) to include gardens and new rooms for target shooting and the casino. It housed a beautiful theater and the Giardino Cinema where, thanks to new equipment, outdoor sound films were first screened in Italy in 1933.

In 1957, both were demolished to make way for the new Kursaal Cinema Theatre, a work designed by Gino Grossi, a Montecatini engineer, and inaugurated on September 14 of that year. Five large crystal doors led into a spacious marble atrium, decorated at the top with relief ceramic edges by Jorio Vivarelli, representing some scenes from Ruggero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci. The theater, completely air-conditioned, was very spacious: the auditorium could accommodate 820 spectators and another 470 seats were located in the gallery; the boxes were arranged on the sides. Numerous dressing rooms for the artists were all equipped with private facilities, and the stage allowed for high-level performances.

Around the theater, a gallery of shops represented the destination of every walk. Famous artists such as Giorgio De Chirico and Ottone Rosai exhibited at the Kursaal in exhibitions promoted by the Azienda di Cura e Soggiorno presided over by Dino Scalabrino. The Kursaal also housed a Casino, a famous Dancing and Ballroom, a Night Club, meeting rooms, game rooms, and private clubs.

 

Unfortunately, its popularity was not accompanied by equal luck: partly demolished to be replaced by a more modern and functional building, it remained unusable for many years and only recently regained life thanks to the recovery of the historic facade, integrated into a new elegant complex designed in 1995 by architect Aldo Rossi, to whom the large internal square is dedicated and whose designs are preserved by the Mo.C.A.

The predominantly residential intervention is characterized by two large square courtyards surrounded by four-storey buildings above ground. The ground floor arcades and central towers that mark the spaces constitute a clear reference to Filaretian architecture, while the two-tone stone cladding of the arcades reproduces the image of Tuscan architecture.

The reconstruction of the entire block therefore combines the desire both to create a unitary project in itself and to maintain elements belonging to the city image, such as the central tower accessing the area. After the architect's death and with the work still in progress, changes were then made to the project.

Therefore, there is no longer any trace of the glorious theater.

 

In 2018, the historic part of the Kursaal overlooking Corso Roma was sold to "Infinity Tissue Solution Italia" for over one million and 300 thousand euros, and unfortunately remains unoccupied to this day.