Gießen Summer of Culture

Open-Air at an 850-Year-Old Monastery Ruin

The Gießener Kultursommer is one of the youngest and most exciting open-air festivals in Hesse. The venue is the Kloster Schiffenberg open-air stage – the remains of a 12th-century Staufen-era Augustinian monastery on the Schiffenberg hill south of Gießen, in an open clearing in the forest. The combination of a medieval backdrop, a forest amphitheater, and top-tier lineups makes the festival unique.

13 Concert Evenings from August 19th to 31st

The 2026 edition runs from August 19th to 31st, featuring a total of 13 concert evenings. The opening on August 19th features Schiffenberg Classics: The Philharmonic Orchestra of the Gießen State Theatre performs a classical open-air concert – the traditional start to the series. This is followed from August 20th onwards by the major pop, rock, and hip-hop evenings.

The 2026 Lineup – Stars from Pop to Rap

The 2026 program showcases the breadth of the Kultursommer: James Arthur, the British pop songwriter (August 20th), Donots & H-Blockx, the German punk rock duo (August 21st), Howard Carpendale, the Schlager legend (August 23rd), Nena with her Live Tour 2026 (August 24th), Uriah Heep, the British classic rock giants (August 25th), Amy Macdonald, the Scottish singer-songwriter (August 26th, already sold out), the Kings of Rap with Kool Savas, Vega, Azad, and Yako OK (August 27th), MEUTE, the Hamburg techno-brass phenomenon (August 28th), Versengold together with Fiddler's Green and Kupfergold in a folk-punk format (August 29th), and Wincent Weiss as the headliner on the closing days (August 30th–31st, August 30th sold out).

Tickets from €29.50

Tickets are available via Reservix and on the official website. Single tickets start from €29.50. Please note: some evenings (Amy Macdonald on August 26th, Wincent Weiss on August 30th) are already sold out. Inclusion tickets available via Vivenu.

Schiffenberg as a Concept

Kloster Schiffenberg is located about 4 kilometers southeast of Gießen's city center, is accessible by bus, and offers an atmosphere incomparable to city concerts. The stage is set against the Romanesque monastery ruins, with the audience seated on a natural slope. On warm summer nights, the Kultursommer is one of the most beautiful concert experiences in Central Hesse.