The hip-hop club in Kreuzberg is located in the listed stables of the Prussian Dragoon Guards Regiment from 1854, under vaulted ceilings and cast-iron columns. On the two floors, Box1 and Box2, the Afro Haus series features Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Dancehall. Gretchen has received the APPLAUS award five times for its live music program.
Gretchen: Hip-Hop in the Dragoon Stables
Gretchen is located in Kreuzberg on the Dragoon area, in the former stables of the First Prussian Dragoon Guards Regiment. The building dates back to 1854 and is a protected monument; inside, cast-iron columns support the vaulted ceilings. From the outside, the club is barely noticeable, but inside it is one of the city’s most impressive spaces. It was founded in 2011 and named after the character from Goethe’s Faust.
The two floors are called Box1 and Box2 and are equipped with an L Acoustics sound system. Since 2021, ramps connect the rooms, and there is an accessible toilet behind the stage. In summer, small concerts take place in the backyard. Gretchen has received the nationwide Applaus Award five times, most recently in 2023 for Germany’s best live music program.
Afro Haus, Recycle and a program beyond the four-four beat
Musically, Gretchen focuses on niches and transitions between genres. The Afro Haus series brings Afrobeats, Amapiano, Dancehall, Reggaeton, and Latin to the dance floor, while the Recycle series is dedicated to Drum and Bass. In between, the program features evenings with Rap, RnB, Soul, Jazz, and Funk. Club nights are exclusively for ages 18 and over; for concerts, the respective event determines the age limit. Since 2015, the venue has been committed to opposing the privatization of the 4.7-hectare site on which it stands.
Top10 Redaktion
Erfahrungsbericht vom 19.10.2026
Preisniveau
Concert tickets cost from 12.00 Euros in advance, usually 30.00 Euros at the box office.
Ermäßigung
With proof of eligibility, there is a discount of around 25 percent on in-house events at the box office.
ÖPNV
U-Bahn station Mehringdamm with lines U6 and U7, from there it's about a five-minute walk.
Barrierefreiheit
All rooms are accessible via ramps, there is an accessible toilet behind the stage.
Altersgrenze
Club nights are exclusively for ages 18 and over; for concerts, the respective event decides.
Highlight
Two floors named Box1 and Box2 under vaulted ceilings, both with an L Acoustics sound system.
