Theater am Dom
Cologne's premier boulevard theatre for comedy, tucked inside the Opernpassagen — its name recalls a former home with a view of the cathedral.
since 1952
The Theater am Dom is one of Cologne's best-known boulevard theatres, specialising in comedy. Its name harks back to an earlier venue from which the famous Cologne Cathedral was visible.
At a Glance
- Type
- Boulevard theatre with a focus on comedy
- Location
- Glockengasse 11, Altstadt-Nord district, city centre
- Capacity
- 376 seats
- Opened at current site
- 29 October 1964 with Peter Ustinov's comedy Photo Finish
- Ownership
- Non-profit GmbH (since 1973)
- Season
- Four in-house productions per year
- Subscribers
- 18,000 (as of 2007)
With 18,000 subscribers in 2007, Theater am Dom was the theater with the most subscribers in all of Germany – despite having only 376 seats.
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
Origins and Name
Actor Hubertus Durek founded the Westdeutsches Zimmertheater in Solingen in October 1949. After relocating to Cologne, the company performed above a pub near the Heumarkt and later in the war-damaged Monopol Hotel. In 1957 it moved to a 150-seat venue at Burgmauer 60 — and since the Cologne Cathedral was visible from there, the name Theater am Dom was born.
From Studio Theatre to Comedy House
Under Durek's direction the company initially staged contemporary drama, including works by Jean Cocteau and Peter Handke. The shift towards boulevard comedy came only after the move to the "Schweizer Ladenstadt" — the arcade now known as the Opernpassagen. The theatre kept its name through the move.
Leadership and Stage
The theatre found lasting commercial success when Barbara Heinersdorff and Inge Durek took over in 1976. Today the house is run by their sons Oliver Durek and René Heinersdorff; René also works there as actor, playwright, and director. Over the years the stage has hosted celebrated German theatre and television names including Harald Juhnke, Günter Pfitzmann, Jochen Busse, and Grethe Weiser.
Timeline
- 1949Hubertus Durek founds the Westdeutsches Zimmertheater in Solingen
- 1952Move to Cologne; venue in what becomes the Funkhaus Wallrafplatz
- 1957New venue at Burgmauer 60, renamed Theater am Dom
- 1964Opening at Schweizer Ladenstadt (Glockengasse 11) on 29 October
- 1973Theater am Dom becomes a non-profit GmbH
- 1976Barbara Heinersdorff and Inge Durek take over management
- 2007Leading theatre in Germany with 18,000 subscribers
Gallery
Map
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Address
Glockengasse 11
50667 Köln
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-06-23)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-23, rev 264653844)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-27
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