The History Of The Friedrichstadt-Palast In 1 Minute

The Friedrichstadt-Palast is an infamous theater in Berlin Mitte that puts an exciting array of performances that range from festivals to children friendly shows. Its roots date back to the mid-19th century and has been providing the people of Berlin with entertainment of all kinds for hundreds of years. The name refers to the theater as well as the alluring structure.
The current building was erected in 1984, but its heritage travels back to far beyond that. In 1867 a market hall was constructed, just a few hundred meters shy of its current address and it was the first one in Berlin. The location wasn’t ideal at the time so it wasn’t pulling in the revenue it needed to stay afloat. Just seven months after it first opened its doors, it closed.

But the building quickly rebounded by taking on a new shape and a new purpose — it became a circus arena with the ability to seat five thousand people. After being juggled through a few owners who failed to keep up with the flashy competition, in 1899 the circus started to see some success under the management of Schumann. His traditional circus practices enticed the masses until the first world war. Schumann’s financial ruin due to the tough economic times caused him to have to shut down. Yet another owner came on board to try his luck, Max Reinhardt in 1919, and renamed the theater ‘The Oresteia by Aeschylus’.Keeping up with the traditions of entertainment, his theater did well until the Nazi Era which came under the regime’s rule and again given a new name ‘Theater des Volkes’. The building suffered grave damage, like much of Berlin, in the Allied bombings, and was eventually abandoned in 1949, leaving it to the city of Berlin.

From the end of the Second World War to 1980, it did fairly well, but after inspection a demolition was scheduled and a new building was to be built. The building was used for rehearsal and other non-public related uses until 1985, shortly after the new building had opened on April 27, 1984. Today as the most sizable show palace on the continent, it boasts an impressive interior and exterior that pays homage to its roots. The sculptor Emilia N. Bayer was commissioned to create reliefs that harken back to its vaudeville and circus beginnings. Today the revue theater architecturally embraces its capricious trajectory as it enjoys newfound success.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.