Kölner Philharmonie – An Amphitheatre-like Concert Hall

Köln Philharmonie Is An Important Part of Europe’s Classical Music Scene:

Kölner Philharmonie © Hanserblich/Wiki

Situated in the city centre, Cologne’s concert hall, the Kölner Philharmonie, is a relatively modern building which was  opened on 14th September 1986.

Kölner Philharmonie Concerts

With over 400 concerts each year, Kölner Philharmonie has been an important part of Europe’s classical music scene since its 1986 opening. The Kölner Philharmonie is in the fortunate position of being home to two resident Cologne orchestras of international repute: the Gürzenich-Orchestra Cologne and the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne.

Concert Hall Architecture

The Kölner Philharmonie architecture resembles that of an ancient amphitheatre: The circular podium is positioned almost in the centre of the concert hall. In front of the podium the rows of seats step steeply upwards in a semicircle.  The concert hall accommodates 2,000 people.  Another semi-circle is formed by the choir gallery and the two tiers of balconies behind the podium. To the left of the podium is the large, permanently installed concert organ with 5,394 pipes.

With its circular structure, the concert hall enjoys good acoustics throughout the hall and the Kölner Philharmonie caters for different types of concerts in Köln. A variety of concert programs are offered here, comprising the great works of symphony orchestras, philharmonic orchestras, chamber music repertoires, jazz sessions, folk and pop events, and world as well as Cologne premiers of lesser known new and unique works.

How to Get There

The Kölner Philharmonie is easily reached by public transport.  It is about 5 minutes walk from Cologne’s Hauptbahnhof (central railway station) and is the only concert hall with its own railway platform. Your Kölner Philharmonie admission ticket also serves as your return ticket when travelling on the regional Rhine-Sieg (VRS) transport network.

See what’s on at Kölner Philharmonie and book concert tickets here.>

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How to get to Kölner Philharmonie:

Subway Stations: Dom/Hauptbahnhof or Heumarkt.

Address:
Kölner Philharmonie
Bischofsgartenstraße 1
50667 Cologne
Website:  www.koelner-philharmonie.de

Map of Cologne:

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