Nazi-Era Congress Hall in Nuremberg on Track to Become Opera House

The Congress Hall in Nuremberg, built during the Nazi era, is being transformed into a new opera house, with work progressing on schedule.

After around eight months of construction, the stage, orchestra pit and auditorium are now visible within the building shell. The exterior walls are steadily rising, with roof work set to follow.

According to Nuremberg city authorities, the project is entirely on track, with a topping-out ceremony expected in spring 2026. Located on the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds, the new opera house will serve as the State Theatre’s temporary venue until the historic city-centre opera house completes its refurbishment.

The historic venue is expected to reopen in time for the 2028 season. In the meantime, the Congress Hall will also house offices, workshops and rehearsal rooms for the opera and ballet companies.

Part of a €296m cultural investment programme, the temporary venue alone will cost €85.5m. More than 7,000 square metres of the listed building will also be converted into studios and event spaces for the independent arts and culture sector. These areas will open alongside the opera facilities, meaning over half of the horseshoe-shaped structure will be dedicated to cultural use.

Originally designed to hold 50,000 people for speeches by Nazi leaders, the Congress Hall was never completed due to the Second World War. Only the shell was built, with stairwells and lavatories but no auditorium or roof, and it stands today as an architectural reminder of the failure of National Socialism.

Plans to repurpose the site for culture have long been debated in Nuremberg.

The design calls for a cube-like structure covered in greenery, with climbing plants such as ivy, wild grape, winter jasmine and evergreens to grow up the façade. A steel framework with netting will be installed to support plant growth.

Audiences will enter the opera house via a glass bridge from the Congress Hall, allowing visitors to experience the historic structure while engaging with its past.