Nikolaisaal

The Nikolaisaal has been our musical home for more than 20 years. On 31 August 2001 we opened our first concert season here, and since then we have presented a wide variety of concert formats and series in the Grand Hall, the Foyer and Café Ricciotti.

The history of the Nikolaisaal dates back to the first half of the 18th century: in 1777 a magnificent baroque residential building was erected on this site. In 1904 the St. Nicholas Parish acquired the land to build a community centre, giving rise to the "first" and later, on the same site, the "second" Nikolaisaal.

After the Second World War the hall — badly damaged but renowned for its outstanding acoustics — was quickly rebuilt. From late 1946 it served as a substitute for the destroyed St. Nicholas Church, as the "Grand Broadcasting Hall" and thus as one of Potsdam's most important concert venues. From 1958 until the 1990s, however, it fell out of use and into disrepair — until a modern concert and events venue was created here to designs by architect Rudy Ricciotti: the "third" Nikolaisaal, which opened on 27 August 2000.

We are proud to contribute to artistic diversity in this special and historically significant venue and to play our part in the ongoing development of Potsdam's musical tradition.