• Berlin
  • The myth, the legend: Ridiculous replicas of Berghain

Simulacrum

The myth, the legend: Ridiculous replicas of Berghain

There's no denying it: Berghain is a legendary club. People dream about it, obsess over it, and recreate it in some very strange ways. These are our favourite versions of Berghain in replica.

Yes, that’s right. A board game where players must assemble the ideal group of clubbers by choosing a lucky set of cards. The goal? Getting inside. Photo: Berghnein, Ninja Print

Love it or hate it (or never gotten in), Berghain is probably the world’s most famous club. Its harsh door policy means that the club is shrouded in mystery. So much mystery, in fact, that it’s inspired countless representations and we’re now at the point where the myth has pretty much overtaken the reality. Here are some of the internet’s best representations of Berlin’s legendary club

The solo-clubber above a sea of fog

Image: Electronic Beats

Gazing out over the club, the figure surveys the almost mythological structure. Can it be conquered? Inspired by Caspar David Friedrich’s The Wanderer Over a Sea of Fog (1818), it really captures the experience of the solo-clubber.

The Impressionist-style take

‘Line in front of Berghain’ by Ben Meyer. Image: Courtesy of the artist. Get more information here.

Think of this one as today’s answer to Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s early 20th century street life scenes. The fuzzy scene manages to encapsulate those bleary-eyed moments better than any photo could.

The Neoclassical etching

Philip Topolovac. Title: Vedute. Year: 2020. Medium: print. Measures: 40 x 60 cm

It’s easy to imagine an ancient Roman-era orgy going on behind those pillared walls. Look closely and you can see rubbish littering and ground and lowly peasants clamouring over the fence .Pretty accurate.

The little desktop Berghain

Concrete Berghain replica by Matic Jurglič (Jurgenstudio). Image: Etsy

You could use this miniature replica as a handy concrete paperweight to organise all of your bureaucratic German paperwork. Another authentic Berlin experience. It’s practical, while also letting your flatmates and visitors know that you’re basically a real Berliner.

The gingerbread Berghain

 
 @alina_rudya Most Berlin thing you’ll see this holiday season. #berghain #technomusic #berghain #fürdich #berlintechno #berlinmeme #raversoftiktok #weihnachten #technochristmas #berlin ♬ All i want voor Christmas is techno V2 - Mr. poopybutthole

Note the queue of gummy bears that wraps around the pretzel fence. This one’s just not accurate, but also festive and yummy.

The Berghain-experience simulation

‘Berghenk Experience’ at Beyond Festival (2016). Photo: Rens Mors

This Berghain simulation at a Dutch music festival consisted of a tarpaulin facade in front of a tent, where a real DJ performed a 12-hour hard techno set that could be heard by festival attendees who waited patiently in queue, only to be rejected over and over.