Leipzig Kongresshalle
The Kongresshalle am Zoo Leipzig, built in 1900, receives its guests with all the charm and splendour of a bygone age. Historic architecture and modern features combine to create an event venue that unites tradition with progress. History comes alive in this extensively renovated building. Its meeting halls and rooms, of a wide variety of styles and sizes, give every conference, every congress its own special, unmatched character. The building’s atmosphere excites the senses: lofty halls, generous conference spaces and small rooms offer ideal and exciting possibilities for meetings and events right in the heart of the City of Leipzig.
Opened in 1900 as the ballroom of the Leipzig Zoo, the Kongresshalle at that time was the centre of the social life of the fast-growing city. After the Second world War, it was home to the world-famous Gewandhaus Orchestra. In the course of time, the building has seen several reconstructions and extensions before it became dilapidated and had to be closed down in 1988. In 2009, the City of Leipzig decided in favour of a fundamental refurbishment which opened up the opportunity to use the Kongresshalle as a modern meeting venue. Now run by the Congress Center Leipzig, who are highly experienced experts in the congress business, the first events were hosted in 2015.
In total, the venue features 15 halls and rooms which can seat between 10 and 1,200 people. The juxtaposition of different styles – from Art nouveau, Art deco and historicist to contemporary architecture – reflects the colourful history and gives the building a very particular ambiance. The entire facility is equipped with state-of-the-art AV and media systems. The “Expo” area offers 800 square metres of exhibition space. Being located very much in the centre of Leipzig, the accessibility of the Kongresshalle is another asset.
There is one more reason why the Kongresshalle is truly special. The combination of a modern meeting venue and a zoo with a high scientific profile is a feature which is unique worldwide. The zoo is one of the world’s most renowned and most innovative institutions of its kind. Under the headline “The Zoo of the Future” it unites animal welfare, the protection of species, research, education, sustainability and experience. This combination predestines the Kongresshalle as a venue for scientific meetings on a very wide range of topics.
Leipzig
Located in the heart of Germany and about one hour drive south-west of Berlin, Leipzig is one of the most prosperous German cities, enjoying an extraordinarily diverse and exciting city-flair. As a university town or a place of business and trade, as a city of leisure and nature as well as a cultural hub – Leipzig captivates its visitors and inhabitants every time anew with its wide range of festivals, cultural highlights and rich history.
Poets, composers and artists such as Goethe, Schiller and Bach have shaped the city’s old and strong cultural landscape for centuries. Today, this active cultural life can be experienced in the famous Gewandhaus, the St. Thomas church, the central theater or the Leipzig Opera house. Museums, collections and galleries of contemporary art are a proof of the hip art scene, currently emerging in Leipzig and attracting numerous creative people from larger, but established and settled cultural hotspots.
The Leipzig Fair dates back 800 years and is regarded as the world's oldest commercial and technical exhibition. In recent decades, Leipzig has also achieved economic success with important industry establishments including Porsche and BMW. Combined with an efficient traffic infrastructure, Leipzig has developed as an important hotspot for business and commerce and therefore follows its long reputation as significant center for trade and fairs.