Zeiss Major Planetarium

The largest planetarium in Central Europe was inaugurated in 1987 as part of the celebrations marking the 750th anniversary of the city’s first mention in writing. Then-East German leader Erich Honecker received regular reports from Erhardt Gisske, head construction.

Much more than just stargazing

The Zeiss Planetarium has a wide range of offerings for visitors of all ages, from a general overview of the wonders of the universe to more complex presentations on such topics as the mystery of life itself. Age-appropriate children’s and family programmes awaken the thirst for knowledge among the littlest stargazers. Music and plays are also performed in the planetarium, which also hosts lectures on a variety of topics.

All new with the same flair

Work has been underway since April 2014 to modernise the Zeiss Planetarium and it is now the most modern planetarium in Europe. The old Cosmorama star projector had served the planetarium well, using slide projectors to show almost 10,000 stars in the planetarium’s artificial night sky. The new 14 m high-tech dome now shows visitors the sky, the planets, the sun, and the moon up close. Not only has the technology been enhanced, but the overall ambience. Apart from the façade and the old marble floors kept from the original furnishings, the planetarium has been completely refurbished. The renovated cinema plays 3-D movies for school classes and old science fiction and East German films on select evenings. Organic foods devised by Michelin-starred chef Tim Raue are now available in the new bistro menu.