Just in time for Friday the 13th, an eerie new nightclub has opened its doors in Spandau. The Zita Club has recently moved into the Spandau Citadel, a Renaissance fortress-turned-events space. Once the site of knightly wining and dining, the Zita Club is looking to offer its guests a rather more contemporary experience.
From fortress to fete
The Spandau Citadel has served several purposes since its construction in 1197. Originally used as a military fortress for the better part of a millennium, it later housed the German Imperial War Treasury in the late 19th century and was even the site of a Nazi-era chemical weapons lab. Since 1948, though, the Citadel was returned to the hands of the civilians and has become a beloved site for performances and exhibitions.
Now, the launch of the Zita Club (short for the German Zitadelle – how imaginative) marks the start of a new chapter in the fortress’ history. Amidst the cavernous halls of the old Juliusturm, Zita is ready to shake up the regular Spandau scene with a livelier party hub, combining stoic Renaissance splendour with a shot of modernity.
Party like it’s 1199
Now, the old citadel is taking down its tapestries and ready to get wild. Last Friday, October 13th, Zita took partygoers back to summer with its inaugural “Ibiza Vibes” party. The theme may have been a bit anachronistic, but who cares – it was still an amazing chance to revel in this unique historical setting. You heard it here first, parties in abandoned power plants and railway sheds are so passé – only in Spandau can you dance the night away under mediaeval-style lanterns and lofted archways!
Zita plans to host regular “Spandau Nights” on Saturdays, complete with urban beats and all-time classics, and of course an expertly stocked bar.
In the hands of professionals
Zita may be new on the scene, but club owner André Krüger is no stranger to Berlin nightlife. Krüger is part of the events conglomerate Channel Music, which is responsible for local favourites such as Huxleys, Metropol and Quasimodo. In fact, the Channel Music team has already built a robust reputation within the walls of the fortress, having put in its years of work on the annual Citadel Music Festival.
Building out the bastion
Though it’s only just getting started, Zita is already scheduled to expand in 2024. It hopes to carve out some nearby outdoor space for an open-air club, where you’ll even be able to toast to Feierabend after work on a weekday.
It remains to be seen whether Zita will manage to draw in crowds from more central parts of the city, but the club seems promising. There’s a lot going on in the fortress’ cultural spaces, workshops, studios and museums during the day. Time to turn it a bit more nocturnal, too!
- Zita Club, Am Juliusturm 64, Spandau, Fri & Sat from 10 pm, admission €10, see details.
This article was adapted from the German by Alexandra Ertman.
