The Schlachthof is tucked away 500 meters behind the main train station with a cool vibe of its own in Wiesbaden. It is a hidden getaway if you want to listen to music, eat, drink, play or just chill out!

History

The name “Schlachthof” means slaughterhouse in Germany. Wiesbaden’s Schlachthof started in 1884 and closed in late 1990. In 1994 only two buildings and an impressive water tower were kept of the original slaughterhouse. Here arose the culture center with a large hall, which is now used for concerts and music rehearsal rooms.

Concerts

The concert hall is literally walking distance from the Wiesbaden housing area and PX. It is such a great and rare opportunity to have such a musical cultural so close to the military community! The musical guests at the Schlachthof are so diverse, so everyone is bound to hear a genre they like!

Each year hundreds of bands come to play at the Schlachthof. Widely known bands such as The Sisters of Mercy, Motörhead, Apocalyptica, Dropkick Murphys, The Fantastic Four, Bullet for My Valentine, Simple Minds, and The Hives have all played there. Many talented local bands also perform annually here, including Wiesbaden’s own Pink Floyd cover band, Interstellar Overdrive: The Pink Floyd Experience. Click here to find out about upcoming concerts.

Sports

What’s also so great about Schlachthof is that you can come to play a sport with a group of friends or you can join a pickup game. Here you will find a volleyball net with sand, a skateboarding park and lots of grass to play your own games on. We love to bring our badminton net!

Play a 6th Century Game

All year round in a section of the Schlachthof’s park, people play a game called Pétanque that dates back to 6th century. While standing inside a circle with both feet on the ground, the player throws hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet.

The game was traditionally played on hard dirt or gravel, and now it is also played in parks. I have seen people playing Pétanque in the dead of winter (when it is too cold to even have your hand out of your glove) as well as in the hot sun of the summer! What I like about watching this game is that there are people of all ages and backgrounds playing together. Schlachthof is a great place to come learn and play Pétanque, especially if you want to meet new interesting people.

60/40 Bar Food Music

The restaurant 60/40 Bar Food Music has recently moved into Schlachthof’s historic water tower, in which I was really glad to see that it got quite an upgrade from the last location.

Food

The new 60/40  is really beautiful inside and very unique to all other restaurants/cafes in Wiesbaden. With a retro-industrial feel inside, it is a very cool place to go for food and drinks.

Tony, who is an American chef working at 60/40, is grilling outside during the summer on Wednesdays and Fridays from 6 to 11 p.m. He is serving up American style burgers, which offers a better or different alternative than what are found at the usual fast food restaurants!

 

The restaurant’s inside menu has very delectable items that are quite popular in Germany. One of my favorites is the personal pizza.

A card is given to you with all of the toppings and you just check off what you want on your special pizza.

Afterwards, you receive your creation with all your favorite toppings!

Bar and Music

The swanky bar has so many unique cocktails and organic juices offered at reasonable prices. Also, a very funky and chill atmosphere is created as the night goes on while the music gets louder (played by DJs).  Here is the perfect place to absorb the festive ambiance.

Creative Art

What is also unique at Schlachthof is the extensive graffiti in the area, which is allowed and considered as preserved art. You will find this ever-changing layers of creative and colorful art very interesting.

How to Get There

The Schlachthof address and telephone number are the following:

Murnaustraße 1
65189 Wiesbaden

Telephone: +49 (0) 611 974 450

Free parking is available on the road and behind the Schlachthof. The drive to this cultural center is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes north of Stuttgart and just over one hour north of Kaiserslautern. Click on DB Bahn for train details.

Author’s Profile: Gemma is a mom, a veteran and an Army civilian living in Wiesbaden, Germany. With New Jersey roots, she is enjoying her extended European vacation.

Featured Image Photo Credit: © Gemma