Karl der Grosse - das Debattierhaus

What Karl der Grosse - das Debattierhaus does

Karl der Grosse - das Debattierhaus is a municipal sociocultural institution operated by the Social Services (Soziale Dienste) of the City of Zurich at Kirchgasse 14 in Zurich's Altstadt. The institution operates a ground-floor bistro serving seasonal regional cuisine sourced from Zurich suppliers (Agroform, Chäs & Co, Würmli-Metzg, Bäckerei der Stiftung St. Jakob), eight rentable historic rooms ranging from a 140 m² Saal with stage and glass pyramid ceiling to 20 m² meeting rooms (Turmblick, Hofblick), a courtyard (Innenhof), and a catering service for groups of 10 or more. Room rental is priced in 4-hour blocks ranging from 70 to 700 CHF, with reduced tariffs available for qualifying non-profit public events.

The venue runs a year-round civic programming slate anchored by the annual Winterreden speaking series (10 speakers delivered from the Erker window over Grossmünsterplatz since 2015), twice-yearly thematic Fokus series (RAUM 2026, BEZIEHUNGEN 2025, GENERATIONEN 2024, SOUVERÄNITÄT 2023, ZEIT 2027), educational DebattierBar sessions with schweiz debattiert, Democracy Workshops with Demokrative, and a permanent exhibition in cooperation with the Kunstsammlung der Stadt Zürich. A 3-camera live-streaming system integrated into the Saal enables broadcast and replay distribution via GDS.FM and Tsüri.ch media partnerships, and the site maintains barrier-free access via the Oberdorfstrasse 36 elevator entrance.

Revenue mechanics combine bistro food and beverage sales (mains 26-27 CHF), room rental transaction fees, group catering, and municipal funding tied to the institution's socioculture mandate. The institution does not disclose financials, has no external investors, and operates under city ownership since 1974 — it is not a traditional commercial enterprise but a publicly funded cultural platform serving Zurich residents, schools (Zürcher Sekundarschulen and Gymnasien), civil society organizers, corporate renters, and visitors.

Name

Karl der Grosse - das Debattierhaus

Legal name

Stadt Zürich, Debattierhaus Karl der Grosse

Website

https://karldergrosse.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1898

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Karl der Grosse is a municipal sociocultural venue and civic debate platform in Zurich's Altstadt, operated by the City of Zurich. It combines a regional bistro, nine rentable historic event rooms, catering, and year-round public programming (Winterreden, Fokus, DebattierBar) serving residents, schools, NGOs, and event renters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sociocultural Event Venue & Civic Discourse Hub

NAICS

Historical Sites (712120), Caterers (722320), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAHAAAK

Specialty & Historic Venues (Landmarks, Estates)

Travel & Hospitality/MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions)/Conference & Convention Venues (Convention Centers, Civic Centers)

SECONDARYTHAFACAI

Brasseries, Bistros & Trattorias

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Full-Service Restaurants (Casual & Fine Dining)

SECONDARYHSACAGAL

Catering Equipment, Rentals & Setup (Non-decor)

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Catering Coordination & Food Service (Non-restaurant)

SECONDARYTHAJAGAL

Food Festivals & Culinary Events (Ticketed Tastings, Pop-ups)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Food & Drink Experiences (Culinary Tours, Tastings, Cooking Classes)

Keywords

• Sociocultural event venue
• Historic room rental
• Regional bistro dining
• Civic debate programming
• Event catering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Bistro Food and Beverage: Seasonal, natural, and fresh regional cuisine served in the ground-floor bistro. Menu features local Zurich suppliers including vegetables from Agroform, dairy from Chäs & Co, and meat from Würmli-Metzg. The bistro operates Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner, supporting political-cultural dialogue alongside culinary offerings.
2. Room Rental: Historic rooms available for rental including Saal (140 m² with stage), Erkerzimmer (54 m²), Barockzimmer (42 m²), Grüne Stube (39 m²), Blaues Foyer (32 m²), Turmblick (20 m²), Hofblick (20 m²), and Innenhof courtyard. Rental in 4-hour blocks or 2-hour half-blocks with pricing ranging from 70-700 CHF depending on room and duration. Reduced rates available for qualifying non-profit organizations.
3. Catering Services: Catering for groups of 10+ persons, from coffee/tea breaks to full meals for events. Also available for smaller groups ordering from bistro menu for consumption in rented rooms.
4. Public Funding: As an offering of the Sozialen Dienste (Social Services) of the City of Zurich, the institution receives municipal funding to support its socioculture mandate. The house supports social cohesion, integration, and exchange in the city.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Karl der Grosse operates as a municipal sociocultural debate venue in Zurich's Altstadt, combining a ground-floor bistro serving seasonal regional cuisine, eight historic event rooms available for rental (ranging from 20 m² to 140 m²), catering for groups of 10 or more, and a year-round public programming series including the annual Winterreden speeches, thematic Fokus series, and educational debate formats. The venue also provides live streaming and replay capabilities for selected events.

Product overview

Karl der Grosse operates as a socio-cultural debate venue and civic discussion platform in Zurich's old town. The offering comprises a ground-floor bistro serving seasonal regional cuisine, eight historic event rooms available for rental (ranging from the 140 m² main Saal with stage to smaller 20 m² meeting rooms), a catering service for events starting at 10 persons, and a year-round public programming series including the annual Winterreden speeches, thematic Fokus series, DebattierBar educational debates for schools, and Democracy Workshops. The venue also provides live streaming and replay capabilities for events, with select events accompanied by sign language and written interpretation services. All offerings support accessibility and inclusion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bistro Karl der Grosse Ground-floor bistro serving seasonal, natural, fresh regional cuisine following the City of Zurich's nutrition strategy. Open Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner, with menu items including local starters (6-24 CHF), mains (26-27 CHF), snacks (3-19 CHF), and desserts (6.50 CHF), offering vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Products sourced from Zurich-area suppliers including Agroform (vegetables), Chäs & Co (dairy/eggs), Würmli-Metzg (meat), and Bäckerei der Stiftung St. Jakob (baked goods).
• Room Rental (Vermietung) Rental of eight historic event rooms (Saal 140 m² with stage, Erkerzimmer 54 m², Barockzimmer 42 m², Grüne Stube 39 m², Blaues Foyer 32 m², Turmblick 20 m², Hofblick 20 m², and Innenhof courtyard 80 m²) for workshops, seminars, meetings, retreats, and cultural events. Pricing in 4-hour blocks or 2-hour half-blocks ranging from 70 CHF to 700 CHF, with reduced tariffs for qualifying non-profit organizations.
• Catering Service Catering for groups of 10 or more, ranging from coffee/tea breaks to full meals and aperitifs, available for events in the rented rooms and smaller groups ordering from the bistro menu for consumption in rented spaces.
• Stream & Replay Live streaming of selected events via multi-camera system in the Saal, with replay archive of past events available on the website. GDS.FM provides radio broadcast of Winterreden.
• Winterreden Annual January series of 10 public speeches held from the Erker window over Grossmünsterplatz, featuring diverse personalities from politics, culture, and society addressing societal topics. Editions include Winterreden 2026 (January 12-23, 2026), Winterreden 2025 (January 13-24, 2025), and Winterreden 2024 (January 15-26, 2024). Broadcast live via GDS.FM and transcripts published by Tsüri.ch.
• Fokus Series Twice-yearly thematic focus exploring societal topics through events, workshops, exhibitions, and collaborations with partners. Past themes include RAUM (2026), BEZIEHUNGEN (2025), GENERATIONEN (2024), SOUVERÄNITÄT (2023). Each focus includes panel discussions, workshops, digital formats, and partner-driven contributions.
• DebattierBar Educational debate format offered in cooperation with schweiz debattiert network, providing playful argumentation training for secondary school classes (Zürcher Sekundarschulen and Gymnasien). Available in short (2-hour) and long (4-hour) sessions.
• Democracy Workshops Interactive workshops by Demokrative (Verein für politische Bildung) for children from age 8, youth, and adults exploring democratic principles and rules through game-based formats such as 'Insel Utopia' assembly simulations and Black-Story games.
• Karl*a inklusiv Inclusion-focused event format making disability and accessibility topics visible, providing access, and raising awareness through diverse events co-developed with partners.
• ALLMEND Exhibition Exhibition by Jonathan Jäggi and Tobias Kubli (April-November 2026) examining collective spaces and communal living through video and text installations, accompanying the RAUM Fokus in cooperation with Hochparterre.
• It's a... Women's Women's Women's World! Exhibition Permanent exhibition (since September 2021) showcasing works by women artists from the City of Zurich Art Collection in the Erkerzimmer and bistro areas, co-created with art historian Bettina Meier-Bickel.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• HochparterreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026Cooperation with architecture and design publication Hochparterre for the ALLMEND exhibition (April-November 2026) exploring social space and communal living, accompanying the RAUM focus.
• Berner GenerationenhausminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for GENERATIONEN Fokus (2024), exploring intergenerational exchange and collaboration.
• foraus (Forum Aussenpolitik)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Cooperation for SOUVERÄNITÄT Fokus (2023), examining Swiss and international sovereignty themes through podcast series and events.
• Bettina Meier-Bickel (Kunsthistorikerin)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 September 2021Art historian who co-created the permanent exhibition featuring works from the Kunstsammlung der Stadt Zürich, honoring women pioneers.
• schweiz debattiertcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with schweiz debattiert network to offer DebattierBar - a framework for playful debate sessions with arguments. Targets school classes from Zürich Sekundarschulen and Gymnasien, following established debate methodology.
• Demokrative (Verein für politische Bildung)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDemokrative offers interactive, game-based democracy workshops for children (8+), youth, and adults. Workshops make democratic principles experiential through formats like 'Insel Utopia' assembly simulations and Black-Story games.
• Zentrum für kritisches DenkencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Zentrum für kritisches Denken for the DEBATTE focus, including creation of 'Manifest für eine neue Debattenkultur' (Manifesto for a New Debate Culture).
• GDS.FMcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBroadcasting partner for Winterreden series. GDS.FM transmits the annual January speaking series live from the Erker window over Grossmünsterplatz.
• Tsüri.chcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner publishing Winterreden transcripts and event coverage, extending reach and accessibility of the annual speaking series.
• Ernährungsforum ZürichminorOthersMember of Ernährungsforum Zürich, supporting the city's nutrition strategy vision 'Zürich isst und trinkt gut'. Bistro follows municipal nutrition guidelines.
• Stadt Zürich - Soziale DienstecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization: As an offering of the Social Services (Soziale Dienste) of the City of Zurich, located in the Fachressort Soziales Stadtleben. Receives municipal funding for socioculture programming supporting social cohesion and civic engagement.
• Kunstsammlung der Stadt ZürichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPermanent exhibition 'It's a… Women's Women's Women's World!' curated with art historian Bettina Meier-Bickel, featuring works by women artists from the city art collection.
• Studio Narrativ (Andrea Keller)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPoetic curation support for multiple Fokus themes including RESSOURCEN (2022) and BEZIEHUNGEN (2025).
• Bäckerei der Stiftung St. JakobminorOthersBistro supplier for baked goods, supporting local social enterprise.
• AgroformminorOthersBistro supplier for vegetables and fruits, supporting regional agricultural production.
• Chäs & Co (Bergdietikon)minorOthersBistro supplier for milk, cheese, and organic eggs from Bergdietikon.
• Würmli-MetzgminorOthersBistro supplier for meat products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Forum Würth: Swiss cultural venue platform mixing art exhibitions, events, and F&B. Comparable sector positioning as a publicly accessible cultural and event venue with food service, though operated by a private foundation rather than a municipal social services department.

Direct peers

• Gessnerallee Zürich: Zurich city-subsidized theater and event venue with a sociocultural programming mandate. Operates in the same publicly supported cultural-venue segment and serves a comparable local cultural-discourse audience.
• Rote Fabrik: Zurich's flagship socioculture center on Lake Zurich combining a bar/restaurant, concert halls, and curated political/cultural programming. Operates under city mandate with a comparable mixed food + event + non-profit venue model in the same city.
• Kulturhaus Helferei: Historic Zurich Altstadt event venue used for concerts, readings, and small-format cultural events. Closely comparable to Karl der Grosse's smaller rooms (Erkerzimmer, Barockzimmer) in scale and historic-building character.
• Kaufleuten Zürich: Historic Zurich Altstadt venue combining a club/restaurant, event hall, and cultural programming. Comparable to Karl der Grosse in Altstadt location, historic building reuse, and hybrid hospitality/event business model.
• Cabaret Voltaire: Zurich Altstadt cultural venue and birthplace of Dada, hosting exhibitions, events, and food service. Overlaps with Karl der Grosse on historic Altstadt location, hybrid cultural/event/F&B program, and city-supported cultural mandate.
• Mehrspur Zürich: Zurich youth-culture venue with rooms for events, music, and workshops, operated under the city's youth promotion mandate. Comparable in municipal programming mandate and multi-room event rental model, though oriented to a younger demographic.
• Schiffbau Zürich: Converted industrial venue with multiple theaters, restaurants, and event spaces. Operates as a multi-room cultural venue in Zurich with similar event-rental and F&B dynamics, though with a larger performance focus.
• Berner Generationenhaus: Berna's intergenerational and socioculture venue with a bistro, event rooms, and themed programming. Karl der Grosse explicitly partnered with Berner Generationenhaus for the GENERATIONEN Fokus 2024, making it the closest analog as a sister municipal civic venue with the same hybrid food/event/program format.

Regional players

• Helsinki Club Zürich: Zurich subculture venue combining bar, club, and live music/political programming. Comparable event + food + ideology space in the same city, but with a younger and more nightlife-oriented audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEfev6My9Rbf5lM28Hod0Yw
• Facebookfacebook.com/KarlderGrosseZuerich
• Instagraminstagram.com/karl_zuerich
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/karl-der-grosse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Karl der Grosse - das Debattierhaus