Cinema Africa in Asmara, Eritrea

Built during the Italian colonial era, when Asmara boasted one of the highest concentrations of cinemas in the continent, Cinema Africa belonged to a city where going to the movies was as much a social ritual as an evening's entertainment. Now outside the sightseeing circuit that comprises Cinema Impero and Roma, this building is one of the largest cinemas in the country and a remarkable example of Art Deco architecture that remains largely undiscovered. It still houses a functioning café, accessible through the side entrance, on the ground floor where people gather over espresso and chatte...