A summer concert in the ruins of St. Catharine’s Church is an unforgettable experience. The Gothic window frames and walls create a stunning backdrop, in which music blends in harmony with the architecture to create a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. Musicians from a wide variety of genres and countries, from newcomers to established bands, give their best here and make this multifaceted concert series a real highlight in the Nuremberg festival calendar.
The Story: Excellent Acoustics!
The st. katharina open air is a music festival that takes place each year from the middle of June to the beginning of July and is distinguished by its varied mix of widely-differing music genres. The event venue of the festival, the ruins of St. Catherine’s Church in the heart of Nuremberg, has a long and eventful history. Originally founded as an abbey in the 13th century, it served over the centuries as a cultural location for the Academy of Fine Arts and the meeting place for the Nuremberg Meistersinger. In World War II, the building was almost completely destroyed. After restauration work at the end of the 1970s, the city decided to continue to use the ruin as a place of culture. It is in particular the excellent acoustics of the interior courtyard, the former Church of St. Catherine, that makes this place ideal for concerts. The ruin has become a fixed part of Nuremberg’s cultural landscape with the “st. katharina open air” at its core. The festival is organized by Anja Common and her team from the Tafelhalle in the KunstKulturQuartier, together with Club Stereo.
The Music: Familiar Favorites and New Discoveries
The st. katharina open air in Nuremberg offers an impressive variety of concerts from national and international bands and solo artists each year. Above all, it is lesser-known acts that get their chance here to perform in front of a large audience. The festival features various music genres: From Indiepop to electro, folk and singer/songwriter to blues, rock, pop, folklore and even hip-hop. The compilation of the program takes place with real passion and know-how. The courage and openness to experience relatively unknown acts is almost always rewarded with a positive surprise. The joy of discovery of new music and performers in the lovely backdrop of a summer event counts as one of the most precious moments of the festival.
Britta, aged 44, „The old walls and the stars above: You can’t experience a band in a better atmosphere than at the st. katharina open air.“
Verena, aged 35, „Warm summer evenings, a relaxed and cool audience and really great music – I love st. katharina open air.“
Hannah, aged 23, „I look forward each year to the concerts in the ruins of St. Catherine’s, because it is a one-of-a-kind location in Germany.“
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