Zoo Palace

from the audio walk Berlin Like You’ve Never Heard It Before – True Stories & Secrets

80 Stations
254:05 min Audio
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Imagine this: It is a cold Berlin night. Crowds throng Hardenbergplatz, cameras click, and a red carpet gleams in the glare of the spotlights. Limousines pull up, and suddenly a film legend steps out—and applause erupts. All of this is not taking place in Hollywood. Rather, it is happening right in the heart of Berlin—at the Zoo Palast.
The story begins in 1909. Where the Zoo Palast stands today, there were once exhibition halls—large, open spaces that later became the “Palasttheater am Zoo.” As early as 1915, the first silent films flickered across its screen, accompanied by the sounds of an orchestra. During the Roaring Twenties, the cinema evolved into a temple of German cinema. The renowned Ufa studio took over the venue—and it was here, in 1927, that Fritz Lang’s Metropolis had its world premiere. Yes—that very science-fiction classic known to every cinephile today!
But then came the dark years. During the Third Reich, the cinema became a stage for propaganda films. And in 1943, in the midst of the war, bombs destroyed the building. All that remained was a ruin—and a deep shadow cast over the site’s history.
Yet Berlin wouldn’t be Berlin if it didn’t possess the ability to create beauty anew from the rubble. In 1957—some twelve years after the end of the war—the new Zoo Palast opened its doors: modern, elegant, and entirely in the style of the 1950s. It was not merely a cinema, but a symbol—a declaration that West Berlin was alive! In its grand auditorium, seating over a thousand people, film classics were celebrated and stars were cheered—Sophia Loren, James Stewart; they were all there.
For nearly half a century, the Zoo Palast served as the beating heart of the Berlinale. Red carpets, a flurry of camera flashes—the glamour of the big time. But with the dawn of the new millennium came change. The Berlinale moved on to Potsdamer Platz, and the crowds began to dwindle. In 2010, the Zoo Palast closed its doors—a sad moment for many Berliners. Was this the end?
No. It was the beginning of something new. Cinema entrepreneur Hans-Joachim Flebbe, who had previously founded CinemaxX, took the magnificent old building under his wing. With immense passion and an investment of over five million euros, he had the venue restored in accordance with strict heritage preservation standards—with style, with respect for its history, and equipped with state-of-the-art technology.
It reopened in 2013. And today? The Zoo Palast is a true gem. Seven auditoriums, a nostalgic flair, and cutting-edge sound—all set within the glamour of the 1950s. Since 2014, it has even once again served as a venue for the Berlinale.
The Zoo Palast is no ordinary cinema. It is a vibrant place where history, architecture, and the art of film converge. A place where you don’t merely watch movies—but where you truly feel what cinema is all about.