Introducing the Kultfabrik - Munich

Kultfabrik (formerly known as Kunstpark Ost) claims to be the largest party zone in Europe. Kultfabrik used to be a noodle factory, but has developed into a maze of bars, clubs, skate parks, cinemas, games halls, climbing walls, flea markets and concert halls following the demise of a similar zone at Reim, the old Munich airport. Once the factory was closed and rusting, some clever Germans decided to turn it into Munich’s most popular night spot, combining the usual drinking and dancing with lots of other things roughly connected with art and music and fun. I think they did pretty well in that respect. Nowadays this huge party zone contains a multitude of different bars and night clubs, each of them offering a musical or stylistic niche. Because of the industrial background, the whole zone is somewhat depressing and run-down looking during the day, but by night they switch on huge projectors, laser beams, neon signs and it is chocked with tens of thousands of people looking for their version of a good time.

Kultfabrik is great because everything is concentrated. There are something like 30-40 bars and clubs packed into this small area - being precise is difficult, because the line-up changes almost weekly as new bars open. If you get bored at one place, you can always go to the next. If one place is full, you can go 10 feet to the next. If you do not like techno but prefer groove or Latin or house or punk or metal music, there is a place for you. It is a multiple choice place and the questions aren’t difficult to answer.

Location & Getting There

Kultfabrik is located right next door to the Ostbahnhof. If you go there by S-Bahn or U-Bahn, just follow the crowd. After 11pm everybody goes there. It’s like they are all draining into the same sewer. Crap metaphor, but you get the picture.

There are also gazillions of parking places in Kultfabrik if you come by car. You just pay a small fee at the gate. Remember, do not drink and drive though, German policemen are everything but understanding.

Getting In

All the bars and clubs in Kultfabrik have bouncers at the entrance as a rule, although it can be lax in the early evening. You can sometimes try to discuss the merits of your case with them, but they are not open to your rational and well reasoned arguments most of the time (with a couple of exceptions who are friends of ours). Kicking the closed door and shouting “Open up du Arsch!” (roughly translates to “open up you asshole!”) is not such a good idea; our Australian friend Mark tried it once. Mark is now back in Australia. Point made, I think.

You do not need to wear your most expensive clothes and it’s probably sensible not to bother too much. Kultfabrik is not a Schicki-Micki, posh place. It is the exact opposite. A place of debauchery like we all enjoy from time to time. We recommend you watch (or better yet forget completely) your leather jackets.

Click for a List of Clubs at the Kultfabrik

Review © 2001 Christopher Larmour & Damien Fournier, Groovy Munich