Schaafenstrasse / Rudolfplatz

Schaafenstraße runs around Rudolfplatz in the southern city centre, on the edge of the Neustadt and close to the Belgian Quarter.

Along just 150 metres, gay bars, clubs, cafés and saunas stand shoulder to shoulder, which is why the street is also known as the scene's "Bermuda Triangle." Something is happening here every night of the week, in a relaxed, open atmosphere. One week before ColognePride the Schaafenstraßenfest turns the street into a big open-air party.

The centre of Cologne's LGBTQ+ scene has developed over decades around Rudolfplatz, with Schaafenstraße as its heart. Cologne is regarded as one of Germany's most gay-friendly cities, and its CSD (ColognePride) is the country's largest event of its kind, drawing around a million visitors.