Petersberg Concerts / Citadel Petersberg Summer Concerts

The Petersberg Citadel as a Concert Venue

The Petersberg Citadel is the largest largely preserved urban fortress in Central Europe — an area of 36 hectares, built between 1665 and 1758, overlooking the northern edge of Erfurt. Bastions, ramparts, caponniers, underground passages, and a central plateau characterize the site. Since its renovation in the 2010s, the citadel has become one of Thuringia's most important open-air venues — and the festival meadow in front of Grabenkaponniere I is the stage for Erfurt's summer pop and rock concerts. From here, you have a view over the entire old town of Erfurt with the Mariendom Cathedral, St. Severus Church, and Krämerbrücke bridge.

Three Evenings, Three Genres

Three main concerts are confirmed for 2026: Mark Forster on September 3rd — the most successful German pop singer of recent years, known for hits like «Au revoir», «Sowieso», and «Chöre». On September 4th, Alvaro Soler, the Spanish-German singer with hits like «Sofia» and «La Cintura» — an open-air Latin pop experience. On September 5th, Kaffkiez, the Munich-based indie-pop band with a melancholic-summery sound, which has established itself as a major player in recent years. Three evenings, three very different genres — the concept is broad, and the location connects them all.

Fortress Acoustics Under the Open Sky

The festival meadow is a grass-covered area in front of the historic caponniere — a quarter-elliptical brick structure that acts as a natural stage backdrop and remarkably concentrates sound reflection. Spots are generally unnumbered (standing room), with VIP areas available for some concerts. The fortress walls create an atmosphere that other open-air venues lack: you stand in a 350-year-old fortress and listen to contemporary pop.

Erfurt in September

In early September, Erfurt is at its most beautiful. Summer temperatures, long bright evenings, fewer tourists than in June. The old town is a 10-minute walk from the citadel — you can eat at Krämerbrücke before the concert, experience the Domplatz panorama at sunset, and then head to the citadel. Erfurt — the state capital of Thuringia — combines the Middle Ages, a fortress, and contemporary pop music in a way that few other cities can match.