The concrete butterfly
With its striking appearance, the Grugahalle is a landmark of the city of Essen. It was built in the shape of a butterfly and opened on 25 October 1958 with the indoor sport festival "For Olympia". The mayor at the time, Wilhelm Nieswandt, proclaimed the following in his opening speech: "A central point for the public, cultural, sporting and social life of our city."
It is located in Essen’s Rüttenscheid district which has been known for its quality of life since its urbanisation in the late 19th century. The area features a unique mix of culture, leisure, retail, catering and industry combined with a central location.
With an exceptional history of more than 55 years, the Grugahalle has always guaranteed top quality entertainment.
Facts & figures
- Date of completion: 1958
- Construction period: 23 months; from October 1956 to September 1958
- Architect: Brockmann/Lichterhahn
- Renovations: 1988 / 1995 / 2005-2006 / 2014
- Cubature: 165,000 m³
- Usable space: Foyer: 2,625 m²; hall with stage/activity space and auditorium: 2,875 m²
- Capacity: max. 8,083 people
- With seating: max. 7,653 seats
- Room layout: variable from 1,000 seats or more