Coliseum Theater, Kuala Lumpur
Watching a movie in a regular cinema hall is something one can do anywhere, but what if you have the opportunity to watch your favorite movie in the first theatre that was built in the country? Such an experience would be truly exciting, and it awaits you at the Coliseum Theatre in Kuala Lumpur. Built in 1921, the Theatre, like many of the city’s other heritage sites, was the pioneer in the country. The Art Deco-style building is capable of seating 900 people and also features a balcony.
The Coliseum Theatre may not look like a coliseum from the outside, but definitely has the amphitheater vibe on the insides. Launched by a rich and hardworking Chinese immigrant, Chua Cheng Bok, who earned his riches by working in the tin mines of Kuala Lumpur, the Coliseum is still a proud property of the family. Till today, the Theatre is run by the same family.
Although the Coliseum Theatre has been labeled as a heritage site, you can watch your favorite movies at the Coliseum. Functioning ever since the early 20th century, the Theatre has been showing movies nonstop for almost a century, except when the Japanese invaded Malaysia during the Second World War.
All in all a must visit site on your heritage tour of the city.
The famed Coliseum Café and Hotel—a favorite haunt of English playwright and novelist William Somerset Maugham during his stay in British Malaya—are located behind the theatre, just down the road.
The Coliseum Theatre may not look like a coliseum from the outside, but definitely has the amphitheater vibe on the insides. Launched by a rich and hardworking Chinese immigrant, Chua Cheng Bok, who earned his riches by working in the tin mines of Kuala Lumpur, the Coliseum is still a proud property of the family. Till today, the Theatre is run by the same family.
Although the Coliseum Theatre has been labeled as a heritage site, you can watch your favorite movies at the Coliseum. Functioning ever since the early 20th century, the Theatre has been showing movies nonstop for almost a century, except when the Japanese invaded Malaysia during the Second World War.
All in all a must visit site on your heritage tour of the city.
The famed Coliseum Café and Hotel—a favorite haunt of English playwright and novelist William Somerset Maugham during his stay in British Malaya—are located behind the theatre, just down the road.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Kuala Lumpur. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Coliseum Theater on Map
Sight Name: Coliseum Theater
Sight Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (See walking tours in Kuala Lumpur)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (See walking tours in Kuala Lumpur)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Create Your Own Walk in Kuala Lumpur
Creating your own self-guided walk in Kuala Lumpur is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Kuala Lumpur Introduction Walking Tour
Kuala Lumpur, meaning "muddy confluence" in Malay, refers to the city's birthplace at the junction of the Gombak and Klang rivers. Although some Chinese workers were involved in tin mining in the area in the 1840s, it wasn't until 1857 that a town was established here.
Two men in particular have been credited for making outsized contributions to the development of Kuala... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Two men in particular have been credited for making outsized contributions to the development of Kuala... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Kuala Lumpur Shopping Tour
Shopping is one of the top activities for those visiting Kuala Lumpur. In this vibrant city there’s something for every taste and budget, from high-end boutiques offering designer labels to the lively street markets drawing crowds with artsy finds and cheap reproductions, where cheap doesn’t necessarily mean a less enjoyable experience.
With a shopping scene as comprehensive as that of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
With a shopping scene as comprehensive as that of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Historical Buildings Walking Tour
A colorful blend of colonial influences, Asian traditions and Malay Islamic inspirations, the historical architecture of Kuala Lumpur is a well known attraction in its own right. Being relatively young a city, most of Kuala Lumpur's buildings date back to the late 19th - early 20th centuries, reflecting Mughal, Tudor, Neo-Gothic or Grecian-Spanish styles. Most of these have been adapted to... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Historical Religious Buildings
Just as the whole of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is a culturally diverse and tolerant city where all of the world’s major religions coexist in perfect harmony. Back in the 1800s-early 1900s, along with the large influx of laborers and merchants of different backgrounds, brought in by the British colonization, came the unique sets of faiths and religious systems: Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
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"Malaysia, Truly Asia" is what you hear en route to Malaysia. Indeed, there's practically every bit of Asia to be found here, as the country's population is made up primarily of three groups: Malay, Chinese and Indians. Quite expectedly, the diversity of Malaysian handcrafts is...