Cinema "Splendid Palace" features auteur, art house films, festival favourites from Europe and other world regions.
Cinema "Splendid Palace” (renamed back to its original name from "Kino Rīga" in September 2011) is located in a unique building at 61 Elizabetes iela; the cinema has won many filmgoers' hearts since opening in 1923. "Splendid Palace" was the first cinema in the Baltics to screen sound films.
Architecture and interior
Today, visitors can enjoy watching films in an architectural monument of national importance - it is the first ferro concrete building in Riga, designed by architect Frīdrihs Skujiņš. The building was designed in Rococo style, which makes every visit to the cinema a memorable event. Visitors are also recommended to have a close look at wall and ceiling paintings by Hermanis Grīnbergs and sculptures by Rihards Maurs and Jēkabs Legzdiņš.
Film programmes and events
The cinema offers films from various film festival programmes, as well as special film days and – in co-operation with foreign embassies and culture centres - retrospectives of notable film classics' works. The film programme "Berliniale", Nordic, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Kazakh, and Japanese film days are just a few of the events organized at the cinema. "Splendid Palace" also houses regular film club screenings.
The cinema offers live broadcasts of concerts and opera and ballet performances, as well as recordings from the world's best opera houses and festivals, such as La Scala, Liceu, Salzburg Festival and other cultural events – concerts, theatre performances and exhibitions. In the future, the cinema plans to organise more educational programmes targeted at younger audiences.
On the excursion get to know the historical nuances and unusual Neo-Baroque premises that accommodate legends and exciting historical events.
Why visit
Splendid Palace offers a cinema experience unlike anywhere else in Riga. Here, films are shown not just for entertainment, but for appreciation of art, culture, and storytelling. The venue specializes in auteur and festival cinema, making it a great choice for those who enjoy thoughtful, visually rich, or independent films. The historic interior adds a sense of occasion to every visit - watching a movie here feels more like attending a cultural event than simply going to the cinema.
Historical highlight
Opened in 1923, Splendid Palace was the first cinema in the Baltics to screen sound films and has remained a cultural landmark ever since. Its building, designed in a Rococo style with ornate interiors, murals, and sculptural details, reflects the aesthetic values of early 20th-century Riga. Despite changes over the decades, the cinema has preserved its role as a gathering place for art, culture, and community, continuing to host film festivals, retrospectives, and international cultural collaborations.
How to get there
Splendid Palace is located in the city centre at Elizabetes iela 61, just a short walk from both the Old Town and the surrounding boulevards. The area is well connected by public transport, making it easy to reach from anywhere in Riga. Several bus, tram, and trolleybus lines stop nearby, and the cinema is also easily accessible by taxi or bicycle. Because of its central location, many visitors choose simply to enjoy a pleasant stroll through the city on their way to a screening.
