Anyone who knows Cologne but not its flora has missed something: Not only the botanical garden of the Rhine metropolis with its more than 10,000 plant species and highlights such as the palm avenue and camellia exhibition. But also the festival centre, also called Flora. As one of the city's architectural attractions, it is recognised beyond its borders as a top address for catering and events. A good reputation that the operator Koelncongress and its culinary, multi-award-winning partner Kirberg Catering have built up over the past ten years.
Flexible space: galas, industry events, celebrity weddings and more in the Flora
Even before the official opening, the first event in the ballroom was the VIP party of the European Handball Federation on the occasion of the 2014 Champions League final held in Cologne - a recurring event in the Flora calendar, just like the Cologne Sports Night, the awarding of the ‘Frankfurt Prize’ on the occasion of the Anuga food trade fair, the event associated with the aforementioned ‘Caterer of the Year’ award or the meetings of large carnival societies. The WDR Treff with director Tom Buhrow also took place several times in the Flora. Other highlights included several wedding celebrations for celebrities, parties organised by FC Köln and gala evenings for the 2017 Ice Hockey World Cup and the 2022 European Basketball Championships, as well as a Ferrari product launch, a concert by the Vienna Boys' Choir and the presentation of the State Prize to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel by NRW Minister President Hendrik Wüst.
The Palais im Park also attracts the media and showbiz world time and again. In addition to film and series premieres - e.g. a screening event in the run-up to the current season of the Netflix hit series ‘Bridgerton’ - the Flora has also hosted the filming of the RTL series ‘Alarm for Cobra 11’. Star violinist David Garrett recently held a press conference there to promote his new album and his upcoming tour, which will also take him to Cologne in 2025.
10-year success story: Koelncongress and Kirberg Catering
The collaboration between the two companies Koelncongress and Kirberg Catering began in June 2014 with the ceremonial reopening of the Flora. The listed building had been closed in 2011 due to structural defects and had been partially gutted and refurbished over a period of two and a half years. Among other things, the building, which had previously been marketed by Koelncongress, was given a new, spacious main entrance with a foyer and a glass extension. It also regained some of its historical structures according to the plans of the Stuttgart architectural firm K+H: the barrel roof, which had been destroyed during the war, was restored and the ballroom on the ground floor was extended to its original dimensions. At the same time, old cast iron elements were uncovered there, which emphasised the new, magnificent ambience and spacious feeling of the hall.
A magnificent palace - and a garden restaurant for everyone
Since then, the ballroom has emphasised the elegant and dignified character of the Flora - whereby the ‘Palais im Park’, as the building is also known, appears open and permeable overall. Not only does glass on all levels provide a view of the surrounding garden. On the south-facing terrace, visitors can have their picnic bags packed in the garden restaurant DANK AUGUSTA and enjoy home-made dishes in a glass with a view of the botanical garden. The concept of the garden restaurant including ‘terrace picnic’, devised by Jutta Kirberg, founder of the company of the same name, won the public tender. Since then, DANK AUGUSTA, named after the wife of Prussian King Wilhelm I and patron of Flora, who envisioned this place as accessible to everyone, has been a popular attraction in the city. In 2019, DANK AUGUSTA was honoured with the ‘Award for Hospitality’. It was another highlight in the history of the multi-award-winning company - Kirberg Catering has already been named ‘Caterer of the Year’ three times.
The opening week as a trial by fire
The celebrations for the reopening of the Flora itself ten years ago were also excellent. They stretched from 10 June - the day that marked the 150th anniversary of the inauguration of the Festhaus and the 100th anniversary of the botanical garden - to 15 June 2014 and had the character of a major local social event - as well as a trial by fire for the partnership between Koelncongress and Kirberg Catering. The grand celebratory concert on the first day was followed the next day by the official handover of the keys, including a summer reception for invited guests, then the premiere of the Cologne Flora Ball and finally an open day where around 30,000 citizens were able to get to know the new Flora and its premises.
The opening week at that time gave a foretaste of what the two partners would establish in the new event location. Both in terms of the quality of the catering on offer and the number and variety of events. In the ten years since 2014, the Palais im Park's five function rooms have hosted around 1,600 events, or around 200 per year, taking into account the two years of coronavirus that prevented almost everything. These included private and family celebrations as well as conferences, sports galas and award ceremonies, banquets, parties and concerts.
This year, in addition to the tenth anniversary of the new Flora and the partnership with Kirberg Catering, Koelncongress was also able to celebrate itself: the company turned 30 in January.