Kolosej is Maribor's first multiplex, opened in 2004. For 3 years it was the only cineplex in the city and that's why it attracted a lot of people. I remember how popular it was at first, because it doesn't only house 10 movie theaters, it also includes a night club, which was at that time the number one in Maribor, as well as bars, billiards, bowling and some shops. Then came 2007 and another multiplex was built a bit further from the old center called Planet TUŠ. Kolosej lost a lot of people, because it was smaller and had less things to offer. Soon after that the popular night club closed. The future for Kolosej doesn't look to bright. There are some plans to build a hotel and apartment building close to the building, in hope of reviving the whole area.Kolosej was designed by the architect Janko J. Zadravec, who later complained that the building wasn't constructed completely according to his plans. I'm still not happy about that building being built at the current location near the river Drava. I feel it's totally out of place, because it doesn't connect with any other buildings in the area. The unusual thing is the facade, which is actually a fabric that covers the whole structure. That's probably a first in Slovenia. And I've never seen something like that abroad. Kolosej is probably the most controversial and outstanding piece of modern architecture in Maribor. I'm not saying the design is bad, I just think it doesn't belong in that area. It could be built elsewhere.
See some photos of Kolosej (from Aug 2010):
There's also a big underground garage in the building (650 parking spaces), but you have to pay for parking, unless you see a movie or play pool or bowling. In that case you have to ask for a free parking ticket at the counter.
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