Berlin Philharmonic

Berliner Philharmonie is a highly acclaimed contemporary designed concert hall that is home to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - one of the top-rated orchestras in the world.
The concert hall, designed by architect Hans Scharoun, first opened in 1963. It is renowned for its excellent acoustics and for having a good view of the stage from any seat in the house.
Unlike most concert halls, the orchestra in the Berlin Philharmonic performs from the center of the audience. The ceilings emulate the sloped sides of a tent and the 2440 seats are arranged in terraces around the central stage.
If you sit at the back of the orchestra you can see the conductor face on, just like the performers.
If you love classical music, you'll definitely want to try to take in a concert at the Berlin Philharmonic during your visit.
At 1 pm every Tuesday from September through June they even hold free lunchtime concerts, not in the main hall but in the foyer. These offer a wonderful opportunity to see the venue and enjoy some fabulous music for free.
Berliner Philharmonie is part of the Kulturforum located just west of Potsdamer Platz.
Facts For Your Visit
Fee: Fees vary by event. Visit the official website for an event calendar. Tuesdays from September through June they hold free lunchtime concertsBerlin Philharmonic Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
Address: Herbert-von-Karajan-Straße 1, 10785 Berlin, Germany
Phone: 030 254880
Official Website: Berlin Philharmonic
Berlin Philharmonic Reviews
Rated
I went for the lunch concert! 👌👍 Highly recommend. It gets full quite quick. So best go early. It starts at 13:00.
I arrived at 12:30 and it was already quite full.
Worth a visit if you are into classical music or starting to get into it! 👌
Juliette Brown - 3 weeks ago
The venue itself was phenomenal, so it is worth visiting. The staff here were all helpful and kind. Definitely one of my best memories in Berlin.
Kahye Oh - 2 weeks ago
This is a great concert hall but i found it confusing to navigate on my first visit. There is left side and right side seating and multiple levels. It's also hard to find the elevators in case you need them like my elderly parents do. The ushers aren't very strict about seating either, so we had a problem with seat snatchers and weren't able to sit in our paid seats until intermission. Despite the difficulties, i loved the acoustics, and the layout of the hall is beautiful. It feels immersive with the 360° view of the stage. I will come back but definitely recommend getting to the hall early to find your seats.
Serena Luk - a month ago
Beautiful concert hall but incredibly sexist bathroom design. During intermission there were lines around the corner for all women’s bathrooms, while the men walked in and out with no line whatsoever. Clearly this design did not take into consideration women at all when constructing the theater. On top of this, the many staircases were difficult for the elderly and disabled patrons who were in attendance, as not all seats are accessible by elevator. In 2025 I would expect these issues to be addressed.
Sasha Owen - 4 months ago
Good regulation of the owner, free concerts, still lots of old ladies and gentlemen. I felt the air inside could make coughing to me and infection. I took antibiotics 2 days after visiting
rong zheng - a month ago
Directions
How to get to Berlin Philharmonic by U-Bahn, S-Bahn
Nearest U-Bahn, S-Bahn Line(s): U2, S1, S2, S25, S26
Nearest U-Bahn, S-Bahn Station(s): U Potsdamer Platz, Berlin Potsdamer Platz Bahnhof
From Potsdamer Platz, walk west along Potsdamer StraBe. After it curves to the left look for the entry to Berliner Philhamonie on your right.
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Photo Gallery
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Photo Credit: Francisco Anzola - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Francisco Anzola - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Aleksandr Zykov - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Aleksandr Zykov - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Aleksandr Zykov - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Traveller-Reini - cc license via Flickr