Große Freiheit 36 Club, Hamburg

Große Freiheit 36 is a renowned music club located on Große Freiheit Street in Hamburg, with a rich history dating back to the 1940s. Originally, the site housed the "Hippodrome," a club made famous by films featuring Hans Albers, where guests and regular artists enjoyed horse riding inside a wood-chip-filled rotunda. The building was destroyed during World War II but was reconstructed post-war.

The venue took on a new life when Bruno Koschmider, a former trapeze artist, opened the Kaiserkeller in its basement in October 1959. The Kaiserkeller could accommodate 550 guests and became a staple of Hamburg’s nightlife. On September 19, 1985, the venue was rebranded as Große Freiheit 36 and inaugurated with a performance by blues guitarist Rory Gallagher. A year later, the Kaiserkeller was reopened and a café was added on the upper level, enhancing the club's offerings.

Große Freiheit 36 has continued to be a significant cultural venue in Hamburg. On February 19, 2015, it hosted a notable event: the concert for the preselection of the German entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2015, marking another milestone in its storied existence. Today, the club remains a popular destination for music lovers, offering a diverse range of live performances in a historic setting.