Berlin is the capital of cinema! With the Berlinale and its rich variety of arthouse cinemas, it is undoubtedly a paradise for film lovers. Discover the most iconic and unusual cinemas in the capital with us. Outdoor and summer cinemas can be found here.
Kino International – Icon of GDR modernism returns
Photo: Shutterstock
The Kino International on Karl-Marx-Allee is one of Berlin’s most extraordinary cinemas: an iconic architectural gem and former official premiere cinema of the GDR, it has shaped the city’s film and cultural history since 1963. After an 18-month renovation in line with historic preservation guidelines, it will reopen in February 2026 and, together with the returning Café Moskau and the legendary Mokka-Milch-Eisbar, will form a unique ensemble and a new cultural place to be in Berlin.
📍Kino International, Karl-Marx-Allee 33, 10178 Berlin
Filmrauschpalast – Berlin’s anarchic mini-cinema
The Filmrauschpalast is one of Berlin’s most idiosyncratic cinemas. It feels like a tiny, self-managed living room cinema with only a few seats and operates far removed from any commercial logic with a strong DIY character. It shows experimental films, obscure classics, trash, arthouse, and lovingly curated special series. The atmosphere is deliberately alternative, more of an art and subculture venue than a classic cinema, with changing, often surprising programs.
📍Filmrauschpalast, Lehrter Str. 35, 10557 Berlin
Moviemento – the oldest cinema in Berlin
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Berlin wouldn’t be the cinema cityit is if the oldest cinema in Berlin and all of Germany hadn’t opened here! The Lichtspieltheater am Zickenplatz opened its doors back in 1907, and we can still visit it today in Kreuzberg – albeit under a different name. Every year, more than 15 film festivals are held here, ranging from children’s programs to the PornFilmFestival.
📍 Moviemento, Kottbusser Damm 22, Kreuzberg
Arsenal
Image: Wiki Commons
Avant-garde enthusiasts will get their money’s worth at the Arsenal! Located in Berlin’s Sony Center, the Arsenal stands out as an outstanding venue for carefully curated retrospectives. In addition to its imaginative film presentations, the Arsenal has a film archive with 10,000 entries and hosts the Forum section of the Berlinale.
📍 Kino Arsenal, Potsdamer Str. 2, Mitte
Babylon in Mitte
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Opened in 1929, Babylon is not only one of the oldest but also one of the most famous cinemas in the city – partly due to the TV series of the same name. To this day, it remains true to its origins as a silent movie theater, accompanied by orchestral music and an in-house organist. Every Saturday, there are also free screenings at the witching hour!
📍 Babylon, Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 30, Mitte
Anarchy with a ray of hope
Image: Lichtblick Kino
In a formerly squatted apartment building in Prenzlauer Berg, you will find this mini-cinema, which is run as an association. It presents an ambitious program of old and new arthouse films, retrospectives, feature films, and special events. Particularly popular is the weekly midnight screening of Casablanca, which has achieved local cult status!
📍 Lichtblick Kino, Kastanienallee 77, Prenzlauer Berg
Zoo Palast
Image: Piotr Zajac | Shutterstock
Following renovations in 2013, this Berlinale venue (formerly the festival headquarters until 1999) next to the zoo was reopened. With seven screens and a total of 1,616 seats—almost 800 of which are in Berlin’s largest single auditorium —it is officially a multiplex cinema and therefore almost a little mainstream… but remember its history: among other things, the silent film classic “Metropolis” celebrated its premiere here in 1927.
📍 Zoo Palast, Hardenbergstraße 29a, Schöneberg