Cinemas and Theaters

Theaters

Polish Theatre (Teatr Polski w Bielsku-Białej)

The official name of the theatre in in Bielsko-Biała the Polish Theatre. The building was built in 1890 and it’s considered to be as one of the best examples of classical architectures in the country. This undertaking was extremely important in the history of the city, as the project was initiated and completed by the citizens alone. It was a sign of their wealth and cultural ambitions.

During thorough renovation in the 1990s, the theater has been preserved in almost unchanged state and both its interior and exterior are worth seeing. You will see rich colour wallpaper, flower murals, brass railings, Art Nouveau lamps and chandeliers, decorative balconies and its biggest memorabilia, an original painted curtain depicting ‘Dance of the Nymphs’. The front was to resemble the triumphal arch and is decorated with statues of Apollo and art Muses. The centre of the square in front of the theater is adorned by a replica of the historic fountain of 1895.

Nowadays, most of the plays are performed in Polish. Occasionally, especially during festivals, you might get a chance to see a play in other languages.

Puppet Theatre Banialuka (Teatr Lalek Banialuka)

Established in 1947, it’s one of the oldest puppet theatres in Poland. It’s highly renowned not only in Poland or Europe but also worldwide. The artists of the theatre performed in numerous countries, even as far as Japan or Chile, and won numerous awards. Their shows are prepared mainly for children and adolescents, but they also have a repertoire for adults.

Since 1966, every two year in May, the theatre organizes the International Puppet Theatre Festival. During two weeks of the festival the city is animated by colourful street performances and inside shows by artists from around the world.
Some of the shows do not require any knowledge of Polish language, thus might be an ideal option for foreigners.

Cinemas

Helios

Set inside the centrally located shopping mall – Galeria Sfera. 1547 seats in 7 cinema halls with a modern sound system and air-conditioning. Helios screens recent blockbusters, both Polish and international. All foreign movies have Polish subtitles. Some children’s films will have both dubbing and subtitles. There is a café and bar selling popcorn and drinks. Tickets are discounted for shows screened before 1.30pm on weekdays and Tuesday is officially a promotional day.

  • Address: ul. Mostowa 5 (Galeria Sfera I), Bielsko-Biała
  • Phone: +48 33 498 70 15, +48 33 498 70 17
  • Web: www.helios.pl

Cinema City

This cinema complex with 10 movie halls is located inside the Gemini Park Shopping Mall. It has a café offering typical cinema’s snacks. Expect to see all recent Hollywood productions, and some European and Polish hits. The cheaper tickets are sold for shows on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays before 1.30pm, and on all screenings on Wednesdays.

Kino Studio

A range of ambitious, alternative and niche movies from around the world are screened in this small and cozy cinema. The cinema has only one hall with 67 seats with small tables at the sides and plays movies twice a day (5.30pm and 8pm). There is a small bar where you can order coffee and some snacks (no popcorn). The cinema belongs to the Animated Movies Studio (Studio Filmów Rysunkowych), thus the name. The Film Discussion Club is held every Monday, and on Saturdays there are special screenings of animated cartoons created at the studio for children.