Metropol

The Metropol stands at Nollendorfplatz in Berlin’s Schöneberg district. Built in 1905 as a theatre with an Art Nouveau style, it once housed a concert hall called the Mozartsaal above the stage. In 1911 the hall became a cinema with 925 seats. During the First World War the building became an operetta stage. In 1927 Erwin Piscator and Tilla Durieux opened their Theatre am Nollendorfplatz there, staging works by Ernst Toller and Walter Mehring. The Metropol has played a key role in Berlin’s cultural history. Piscator’s theatre featured artists such as Bertolt Brecht, George Grosz and John Heartfield. After the Second World War the auditorium was destroyed but the facade and cinema survived. In 1951 it was renamed the Metropol and later became a famous discothèque in the 1980s. Bands like Depeche Mode, Morrissey and The Human League performed there during its heyday. Visitors find a building with a preserved facade and a remodelled interior. The Goya night club opened in 2005 after architect Hans Kollhoff redesigned the space. Wim Wenders filmed a Nick Cave concert there for his 1987 film Wings of Desire. Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava used the Metropol’s logo in their 1985 film Demons.