Lanxess Arena
Germany's largest arena and one of the biggest worldwide — in 2025, over 2.6 million visitors attended 208 events in Cologne-Deutz.
since 1998
The Lanxess Arena (officially styled LANXESS arena) in the right-bank Cologne district of Deutz is Germany's largest event venue and ranks among the largest and most modern in the world.
At a Glance
- Type
- Multi-purpose hall / Arena
- Location
- Deutz (right bank of the Rhine), Inner City district
- Opened
- 1998 (initially as Kölnarena)
- Capacity
- up to 20,000 seats
- Floor area
- 83,700 square metres
- Architect
- Peter Böhm
- Nickname
- Henkelmännchen ("little lunchbox")
- Uses
- Sport, concerts, comedy, musicals, congresses and conferences
From November 2018 to May 2019, the Lanxess Arena was the most-visited event venue in the world with 699,924 visitors – outranking even New York's Madison Square Garden.
Things to do here
- Experience concerts, shows and comedy live
- Cheer on the Kölner Haie at an ice hockey game
- Get caught up in thrilling handball and sports events
- Marvel at the sheer size of the arena
- Photograph the distinctive “Henkelmännchen” arch
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
Name and Major Events
The venue originally opened as the Kölnarena before being renamed after the chemical company Lanxess. It quickly became a stage for major international tournaments: eight matches of the 2007 Men's Handball World Championship were held here, including the final. The Men's Ice Hockey World Championship has visited three times — in 2001, 2010, and 2017.
Sport and Concerts
A temporary ice rink can be installed for home games of the Cologne Sharks (ice hockey, DEL) and events such as Holiday on Ice. Since 2010, the EHF Champions League Final4 for men has been held here annually, earning the arena the title "Cathedral of Handball"; the event is contracted to remain until at least 2029. For smaller productions, the interior can be reconfigured as a theatre layout with up to 5,300 seats.
Public Viewing
During the 2008 UEFA European Championship and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, matches were screened inside the arena — all games of the German national team and every match from the quarter-finals onwards. Up to 32,000 people watched the broadcasts free of charge across the indoor and outdoor areas. For the Germany–Turkey semi-final, the gates had to be closed two hours before kick-off due to overcrowding.
Attendance
The arena consistently ranks among the world's most-visited entertainment venues. Between November 2018 and May 2019 it topped the global rankings with 699,924 visitors, ahead of Madison Square Garden in New York. In 2025, more than 2.6 million people attended 208 events. In the 2023/24 season, the Cologne Sharks set a European ice hockey attendance record with an average of 16,996 fans per home game.
Timeline
- 1998Opened as Kölnarena in Cologne-Deutz
- 2001First Men's Ice Hockey World Championship hosted
- 2007Handball World Championship: 8 games incl. final
- 2010Ice Hockey WC; EHF Champions League Final4 launched annually
- 2017Third Ice Hockey WC; annual visitor record of 2.1 million
- 2018/19Global top spot: 699,924 visitors (Nov 2018–May 2019)
- 2024New visitor record: 2.4 million at approx. 200 events
- 2025Record broken again: 2.6 million at 208 events
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
Address
Willy-Brandt-Platz 3
50679 Köln
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Official Instagram (@lanxessarena)
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-06-24)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-24, rev 267764801)
- Official website (retrieved 2026-06-24)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26
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