Kulturzentrum Schlachthof (Wiesbaden)

Schlachthof, southern side, with graffiti

The Kulturzentrum Schlachthof e.V. (literally, Cultural Center "Slaughterhouse") in Wiesbaden, Germany, is a cultural center in a complex which formerly housed the municipal slaughterhouse, approximately 500 meters southeast of the Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof railway station. The cultural center was founded in 1994. It offers two concert halls for events from 300 to 2000 people; the large concert hall has an area of about 1,200 square meters. It is surrounded by a park.^[1]

History

The slaughterhouse closed in 1990 due to inefficiency and non-compliance with EC hygiene guidelines. In the following years, most of the abandoned buildings were torn down. Only two halls and a 36 meters high, historic water tower (built 1897-1899) remained.

In 1994 these remaining buildings were occupied by the Kulturzentrum Schlachthof. While the large hall served from 1994-2010 for large concerts and parties, smaller concerts took place in the former smoke house from 1994 to 2015. This building also contained rehearsal rooms and studios.

After the great concert hall had to close in 2010 due to danger of collapse, a new concert hall was inaugurated in November 2012. The historic water tower was renovated for E4.5 million and inaugurated in March 2015, marking the end of a five-year renovation program for the entire complex.^[2] It is now used as an office building; its outbuildings are used for small concerts and house a bar. The last of the old slaughterhouse buildings was torn down in 2015.^[3]

In 2008 the approximately 3 hectares of fallow land around the historic water tower and the former slaughterhouse were remodeled for leisure and cultural park with tree plantings, walk lawns, a beach volleyball court, a boule court, a track for skateboarders and children's play equipment.

References

1. "Schlachthof Wiesbaden: Magistrat verabschiedet Pläne für Kulturpark - Elektrogrills stehen spätestens 2016". Wiesbadener Tagblatt. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
2. Emnet, Birgit (12 March 2015). "Wiesbaden: Der sanierte Wasserturm am Kulturzentrum Schlachthof ist eingeweiht". Wiesbadener Kurier. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
3. Müller, Paul (5 October 2015). "Schlachthof Wiesbaden feiert Abriss der letzten Halle mit Straßentheater, Musik und Maschinenkomiker". Wiesbadener Kurier (in German). Retrieved 23 October 2015.

Coordinates: 50°04′00″N 8°14′50″E / 50.0667°N 8.2472°E