Opernterrassen
A 1957 dining pavilion by Wilhelm Riphahn — a rare surviving witness to Cologne's 1950s architecture at Offenbachplatz.
The building was part of the ensemble comprising the opera house and theatre that Wilhelm Riphahn designed around Offenbachplatz.
Source: Wikipedia
At a glance
- Type
- Former commercial building and restaurant, pavilion structure
- Location
- Brüderstraße 2–4, Altstadt-Nord, Innenstadt district
- Built
- 1957
- Architect
- Wilhelm Riphahn
- Heritage status
- Listed monument in North Rhine-Westphalia since 19 May 1989
- Notable fact
- Demolished down to two exterior walls for renovation
During the 2012 renovation, only the southern and eastern outer walls of the 1957 pavilion were left standing – the rest was completely demolished, even though the building had been under listed heritage protection since 1989.
Architecture
The two-storey pavilion featured ceramic-clad façades designed to harmonise with the neighbouring buildings. Facing Brüderstraße, a tripartite window with an emphasized frame stood out, while the Offenbachplatz side had a glazed façade and an elevated walkway leading to the opera foyer. A kind of atrium connected the two levels and their four halls, with a roof terrace above. Compared to its neighbours, the design was noticeably plainer and more block-like, and the building is considered an important example of Cologne's 1950s architecture.
History and use
With its large glass surfaces and terrace annex, the building was seen as a quintessential 1950s dining pavilion. It first housed a café, then Café Kranzler (Kempinski) and later Mövenpick. Until 2012 it mainly served as a banquet and dance venue.
Renovation
As part of the renovation of the opera quarter, the tenants were required to vacate the building by the end of January 2012, having gone months without paying rent. When they refused to leave, the City of Cologne filed an eviction lawsuit. The renovation was initially expected to take three years. The structure was demolished down to its southern and eastern exterior walls, and the walkway to the opera was removed and replaced by a cantilevered roof. Once renovated, the Opernterrassen are intended to house the advance ticket office, the theatre's Kleines Haus, and once again a restaurant.
Kleines Haus at Offenbachplatz
As the overall renovation of the opera quarter took considerably longer than planned, the theatre company began using the Kleines Haus on a provisional basis from September 2016, under the name "Außenspielstätte am Offenbachplatz". At the time the hall was not yet fully fitted out; at the initiative of theatre director Stefan Bachmann it was prepared for temporary use so that the City of Cologne's stages could once again have a presence at Offenbachplatz.
Good to know
A website about Cologne event venues offers a mixed verdict: the building was erected "to signal a fresh start in cultural policy", yet its unassuming façade exudes "little charm" by day, leading many passersby to overlook the qualities of the venue altogether.
Timeline
- 1957Two-story pavilion building constructed to designs by Wilhelm Riphahn.
- 1989Placed under monument protection on 19 May.
- 2012Used mainly as a banquet and dance venue until 2012.
- 2012Tenants were to vacate the building by the end of January.
- 2012Renovation work was scheduled to begin on 18 June.
- 2016Since September, the Kleines Haus used as 'Außenspielstätte am Offenbachplatz'.
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Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-09-12
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