Astra Kulturhaus

The Astra Kulturhaus on the RAW site was the cultural center of the Reichsbahn during GDR times and continues to embrace this heritage today. The hall measures 500 square meters, has parquet flooring and several bars, and outside there is a beer garden with its own outdoor bar. Among Berlin's indie clubs, Astra boasts the largest stage and the broadest program.

Astra Kulturhaus: Indie Club on the RAW Site

The Astra Kulturhaus is located on the RAW site on Revaler Straße in Friedrichshain, about a hundred meters from the tram stop and a few minutes from Warschauer Straße station. During GDR times, the building served as the cultural center for the German Reichsbahn, hosting company parties, theater performances, and dance events. After years of vacancy, it was renovated and opened as a concert hall in April 2009. Many original architectural elements were preserved during the process.

Inside, the venue deliberately flirts with East German design. The hall measures 500 square meters and has parquet flooring, while the foyer, with an additional 300 square meters, serves as a party floor, complemented by several bars. The 70-square-meter outdoor area hosts the smoking area, the beer garden, and its own outdoor bar. Astra is fully barrier-free and features a wheelchair platform, an accessible toilet, and an accessible parking space, which should be registered in advance.

Concerts, Parties, and Festivals at Astra Kulturhaus

The program covers a wide range, from indie and rock to punk and metal, as well as German rap and electronic music. Recently, Dendemann, Brian Fallon and The Painkillers, Eagles of Death Metal, Anna von Hausswolff, MUNA, and Selig played here, along with the Revival Tour featuring Frank Turner and Chuck Ragan. Concert tickets for this program are typically around 35 Euros.

In addition, a series of regular events has been established. “A Night Like This,” an alternative 80s party, brings The Cure, The Smiths, Joy Division, and Depeche Mode to the dance floor and is regularly sold out; admission starts at 12 Euros in advance. Once a month, the “11Freunde Pub Quiz” takes place, and the “Out of Line Weekender” fills three days with Dark Electro and EBM. All parties at Astra are for ages 18 and up; for concerts, the respective organizer decides. There are no parking spaces on the premises; the venue recommends arriving by bicycle or public transport.