Villa Elisabeth

What Villa Elisabeth does

Villa Elisabeth is a Berlin-based non-profit cultural venue operator. Its legal entity, Kultur Büro Elisabeth gGmbH, was founded in 2003 (originally as Kulturbüro SOPHIEN) and is wholly owned by the Evangelische Kirchengemeinde am Weinberg, a Protestant parish. The organization curates and rents a portfolio of heritage-protected buildings in central Berlin under the umbrella brand Himmlische Räume (Heavenly Spaces), a network of approximately 16 churches and cultural venues that includes Villa Elisabeth itself (a 1907 parish community house), the Karl Friedrich Schinkel-designed St. Elisabeth-Kirche (rebuilt 1991-2010s as a culture church), the Baroque Sophienkirche (1712/13), the Neo-Romanesque Zionskirche (1873), and the LISBETH café/cultural space at Sophien II cemetery.

The business is built on four revenue streams: (1) one-off venue rental for concerts, conferences, receptions, film and photo shoots, with optional catering and technical equipment; (2) a curated cultural program of contemporary and early music, experimental performance, and interdisciplinary art, produced both in-house and in cooperation with external ensembles; (3) LISBETH café operations, offering Italian cuisine, aperitivos, and rotating exhibitions on themes of death and transience; and (4) catering and technical services bundled with rentals. Pricing is quote-based with no public tiers; bookings are handled via direct email inquiry ([email protected], [email protected], [email protected]). Distribution is direct-to-consumer for venues and curated programming; some networked venues (Passionskirche, Kiezkapelle Neukölln) are managed through partner organizations.

The customer base spans enterprise music institutions (Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, RIAS Kammerchor Berlin, Singakademie zu Berlin, Bundesjugendchor, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, TANZ IM AUGUST), media and retail clients (VOGUE, tipBerlin, Viani, Dorothee Schumacher), and a long tail of corporate event organizers. Underlying technology is conventional web infrastructure (Hetzner hosting, Matomo analytics, Vimeo/Flickr/Instagram/LinkedIn/Facebook presence) with no proprietary platform; the operating assets are physical — Steinway D-274 and historical Schuke and Sauer organs, movable gallery platforms, and the heritage venues themselves. Management is led by Managing Director Cathrin Heinrich and Artistic Director Isabel Schubert; LISBETH operations are led by Chief Chef Chiara de Martin Topranin (since May 2024) and curator Alexis Hyman Wolff.

Name

Villa Elisabeth

Legal name

Kultur Büro Elisabeth gGmbH

Website

https://elisabeth.berlin

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Berlin-based non-profit operating the Himmlische Räume network of 16 historic churches and cultural venues for concerts, exhibitions, conferences, and private events, serving orchestras, choirs, fashion brands, and event organizers through direct rentals and a curated cultural program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Venue Rental Services

NAICS

Historical Sites (712120), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Venue & Facility Reservations (Private Rooms, Event Spaces) (HSACALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conference Retreat Hotels (THAGALAG), Art & Culture (Gallery/Museum) Hotels (THAGADAC)

Keywords

• Cultural venue rental
• Heritage event spaces
• Concert hall rental
• Arts programming
• Historic church venues

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Event Venue Rental: Rental of heritage cultural venues (Villa Elisabeth, St. Elisabeth-Kirche, Sophienkirche, Zionskirche, and others) for concerts, performances, conferences, receptions, film/photo shoots. Spaces are rented with optional technical equipment and catering packages.
2. Curated Cultural Program: Self-produced concerts, performances, and exhibitions. The organization curates contemporary and early music, experimental formats, and interdisciplinary art projects in its venues.
3. LISBETH Café Operations: LISBETH café operates at Friedhof Sophien II serving Italian cuisine, aperitivos, and cultural events. Café is open Tuesday through Sunday 10:30-20:00, closed Mondays and winter break December 15 - early March 2026.
4. Catering and Technical Services: On-site bar service during artistic events, and customized complete packages for rentals including catering and technical equipment (though no binding partnership with providers).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Villa Elisabeth, operated by Kultur Büro Elisabeth gGmbH, runs a portfolio of heritage-protected cultural venues in central Berlin — including Villa Elisabeth (a 1907 parish community house), St. Elisabeth-Kirche (a Karl Friedrich Schinkel-designed church ruin), Sophienkirche, Zionskirche, and Golgathakirche — offering them for rent as event spaces for concerts, conferences, performances, exhibitions, and receptions. The organization additionally curates its own cultural program of contemporary and early music, experimental formats, and interdisciplinary arts, and operates the LISBETH café and cultural space at Friedhof Sophien II.

Product overview

Villa Elisabeth is a cultural venue operated by Kultur Büro Elisabeth gGmbH. It is part of a broader platform of 16+ historic church and cultural venues in Berlin collectively known as the 'Himmlische Räume' (Heavenly Spaces) network. The primary offering is the rental of event spaces — the Villa Elisabeth hall (with gallery, studios, and foyer) and the adjacent St. Elisabeth-Kirche — for concerts, performances, conferences, dinners, and receptions. Additionally, the LISBETH initiative provides café, aperitivo, and cultural programming including rotating art exhibitions, and rents rooms for private events, workshops, and meetings. All spaces are managed centrally through the Kultur Büro Elisabeth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Villa Elisabeth Venue Rental The 1907 heritage-listed community house in Berlin-Mitte offering a 305 sqm main hall (Saal), 171 sqm gallery, 141 sqm foyer, and studios for concerts, performances, conferences, receptions, film/photo shoots, and exhibitions. Capacity: 400 standing, 230 row seating, 50 gallery, 200 banquet. Includes a Steinway D-274 concert grand piano.
• St. Elisabeth-Kirche Venue Rental A Karl Friedrich Schinkel-designed church ruin rebuilt as a culture church. Capacity: 350 seated or 400 standing, 200 banquet. Features movable gallery platforms (2026 installation). Hosts performances of old and contemporary music, dance theatre, contemporary art exhibitions, and experimental projects.
• Himmlische Räume Venue Network A curated network of 16 event churches and cultural venues in Berlin coordinated by Kultur Büro Elisabeth, providing rental access for cultural events and special occasions across multiple historic buildings including Sophienkirche, Zionskirche, Golgathakirche, and others.
• LISBETH Café, Aperitivo & Cultura Idyllic café with garden located at Friedhof Sophien II cemetery, offering an Italian food concept with distinct dishes, aperitivos, and rotating seasonal art exhibitions exploring themes of death, transience, and transformation. Open Tuesday–Sunday 10:30–20:00 (winter closure December 15 – early March 2026).
• LISBETH Event Space Rental Rental of LISBETH premises for private occasions outside regular café operations. Ground floor rooms for private parties (funerals, birthdays, confirmations) up to 40 indoors and 40 outdoors; two first-floor rooms for workshops, seminars, meetings, team days, retreats, co-working, and photo shoots up to 25 people each.
• Sophienkirche Venue Rental Berlin's only preserved Baroque church (built 1712/13) with a Schuke organ. Capacity: ~900 total (470 fixed pews plus 80 additional chairs). Popular for concerts and recordings by Deutschlandfunk Kultur and rbb.
• Zionskirche Venue Rental A 1873 Neo-Romanesque church with a 67m tower. Capacity: 550 on church benches, plus 300 additional chairs. Historically significant for resistance movements including Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Bekennende Kirche. Future 'KlangRaumZion' organ project planned as a new music center.
• Curated Cultural Program Self-produced concerts, performances, and exhibitions featuring contemporary and early music, experimental formats, and interdisciplinary art projects in the organization's venues. Includes concert series (Sonus Feminae, re:organ), festivals (Atalanta Komponistinnen Festival, Berliner Festival Alter Musik), and partnerships with ensembles (RIAS Kammerchor, DSO, Bundesjugendchor).
• Catering and Technical Services On-site bar service during artistic events, and customized complete rental packages including catering and technical equipment (no binding partnership with providers). Optional add-on to venue rentals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supporting cultural access for ~30,000 people since 2010 through KulturLeben Berlin partnership

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Evangelische Kirchengemeinde am WeinbergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe shareholder and parent organization of Kultur Büro Elisabeth gGmbH. The Protestant church parish owns the venues and provides institutional backing. Parish includes Golgathakirche, Sophienkirche, and Zionskirche in addition to St. Elisabeth ensemble.
• KulturLeben Berlin | Schlüssel zur Kultur e. V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term charitable partner enabling cultural access for ~30,000 people since 2010. Kultur Büro Elisabeth supports through free tickets. KulturLeben Berlin facing 100,000 EUR funding gap in 2026 after major funder withdrawal.
• Kulturbüro des Rates der EKDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of 31st Protestant Church Building Conference 2025. Content and organizational support for major cultural conference bringing 500+ participants from 4 countries.
• Bundesstiftung BaukulturmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for 31st Protestant Church Building Conference 2025.
• Deutsches Nationalkomitee für Denkmalschutz (DNK)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for 31st Protestant Church Building Conference 2025. Working group: Kulturerbe in Bewegung.
• Katholische Akademie in BerlinmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference partner for 31st Protestant Church Building Conference. Host venue alongside Villa Elisabeth, St. Elisabeth, Zionskirche, Sophienkirche, and Humboldt University.
• Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Theologische FakultätmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for 31st Protestant Church Building Conference.
• zeitzeichen (Medienpartner)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner for 31st Protestant Church Building Conference. Protestant commentaries on religion and society publication.
• tipBerlinmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural magazine co-hosting Frizzante Food + Wine Festival with Viani delicatessen at St. Elisabeth-Kirche, Kirchpark, and Villa Elisabeth. Festival runs September 5-7, 2025.
• VianimajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDelicatessen retailer co-hosting Frizzante Food + Wine Festival with tipBerlin magazine. 50+ producers and winemakers present their products.
• Berlin CuisineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCatering partner for 'Access All Areas' event on June 30, 2026, providing drinks and finger food for networking with event planners.
• rentitNOWminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent furniture partner featured during 'Access All Areas' showcase demonstrating setup options with portable furniture.
• AK Galerie BerlinmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGallery presenting 'ICONIC' exhibition (May 1-3, 2026) with Lorenzo Agius portraits and Izzy Weissgerber interventions at St. Elisabeth-Kirche for Gallery Weekend.
• Nomadisch Grün gemeinnützige GmbH (Prinzessinnengärten Kollektiv)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNonprofit organization managing Kiezkapelle Neukölln venue operations. Contact: [email protected].
• Halle-Luja Kulturmanagement GmbHmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRental management company for Passionskirche events. Contact: [email protected]. Handles bookings for world music, pop, and jazz concerts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Emerging players

• Prinzessinnengärten Kollektiv: Berlin nonprofit operating urban gardens and cultural spaces including community programming. Comparable as a Berlin-based nonprofit cultural operator with similar social-impact and community-programming orientation, and partner affiliation through Kiezkapelle Neukölln.
• Halle Tanzbühne Berlin: Berlin contemporary dance and performance venue hosting independent productions. Comparable as a Berlin venue for performing arts with overlapping artist clients like those from TANZ IM AUGUST.

Direct peers

• Kulturbrauerei: Berlin cultural venue complex in a 19th-century former brewery, hosting concerts, theatre, exhibitions, and events across multiple halls. Comparable as a heritage-adapted-reuse venue operator with a portfolio approach similar to Himmlische Räume.
• Radialsystem: Berlin cultural venue operator housed in a former sewage pumping station on the Spree, hosting contemporary dance, music, and performing arts. Comparable as a heritage-industrial-space venue operator serving the same artist/event-organizer base in central Berlin.
• Konzerthaus Berlin: Major Berlin concert hall and event venue at Gendarmenmarkt hosting orchestras, choirs, and festivals. Comparable as a Berlin-based historic-venue operator serving classical music ensembles and event organizers, with overlap in clients like RIAS Kammerchor and DSO.
• UfaFabrik Berlin: Berlin cultural center combining international cinema, theatre, dance, and event venue rental in a heritage-listed former film studio complex. Comparable as a multi-space cultural venue operator hosting performances, exhibitions, and private events.
• Heimathafen Neukölln: Berlin event venue and cultural stage in Neukölln, hosting concerts, theatre, and corporate events. Comparable as a mid-sized Berlin venue operator targeting similar event-organizer and corporate-event clientele.

Broad incumbents

• Staatsoper Unter den Linden: Historic Berlin opera house on Unter den Linden with adjacent heritage venues. Comparable as a heritage cultural venue hosting classical and contemporary performances in central Berlin with overlapping institutional clientele.
• Berliner Philharmonie: Iconic Berlin concert hall and home of the Berliner Philharmoniker. Comparable as a heritage cultural venue for orchestral music in Berlin-Mitte, with overlapping artist and audience base, though it operates at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Babylon Berlin: Berlin cinema and cultural venue in a heritage-listed building, hosting film festivals, premieres, and cultural events. Comparable as a heritage-venue operator providing space for cultural programming in Berlin.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Kultur-B%C3%BCro-Elisabeth-Villa-Elisabeth-St-Elisabeth-Kirche/100057381942753
• LinkedInt1p.de/vc3o6
• Instagraminstagram.com/st.elisabeth.villaelisabeth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Villa Elisabeth