Hidden Below A Courtyard In This European Capital Is An Underground World Of Animatronic Monsters

Berlin is a city of contrasts, balancing European elegance with an edgy, rebellious streak. It's a place where you can marvel at classical architecture in the morning and end the night dancing in a warehouse club. Perhaps that's why, according to Rick Steves, Berlin is best explored after dark. In this city, stepping off a polished boulevard can feel like crossing into another dimension, much like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. One minute, you're strolling through high-end shopping districts, and the next you're pulled into a world of underground cabaret, immersive art, or gritty techno.

Within a labyrinthine courtyard complex in Berlin lies one such otherworldly experience: Monsterkabinett. Beneath a charming square of jewelry boutiques and coffee shops, this hidden dungeon brims with clanking, twirling, animatronic monsters that feel plucked from a surreal alternate universe. Monsterkabinett ("monster cabinet") is part art show, part theatrical experience, and part steampunk fever dream. Combining techno beats, eerie lighting, and grotesque yet whimsical creations, the show feels as if David Cronenberg directed an underground Berlin nightclub. Avoid the pickpockets at Brandenburg Gate and opt instead to find out about these monsters that wait beyond a mysterious spiral staircase.

To find Monsterkabinett, you'll need to wander through an alleyway to find the right courtyard within the Hackesche Höfe complex. This attraction is located at the back of the courtyard, marked by a sign and a spiral staircase, while a few metal monsters cling to the vines and walls above as a hint of what's to come. Tickets cost 10 Euros, and to truly experience Monsterkabinett, you have to join one of its 20-minute shows, held Wednesday through Saturday in the evenings.

Monsterkabinett opened in 2010, but its monsters are older than that. Sculptor Hannes Heiner, a member of the Dead Chickens art collective, began designing monsters as a child. The Dead Chickens, founded in 1986, are known for their boundary-pushing, interactive art, and Monsterkabinett is one of their crowning achievements. Inspired by the enduring human fascination with monsters, Heiner uses sheet metal, wires, and papier-maché to sculpt each creature. In an interview with Marta Janik, Heiner described his fascination with monsters: "Monsters have existed as long as humans have... They can be a symbol of fear or change." Today, the Dead Chickens maintain this dungeon of dreams and nightmares.

As you descend into the Monsterkabinett, a storytelling guide leads you through the dimly lit cellar, where pneumatic hisses and clanking sounds create an industrial symphony. The monsters you'll encounter range from a colossal spider to a grotesque, suspended face, each given colorful names like "Orangina." You'll wander through a mechanical forest, a hall of mirrors, and various chambers where monsters sing, twirl, and chatter, all set to pulsating beats composed by the Dead Chickens. It's absurd, uncanny, and unforgettable — a steampunk horror show with a playful heartbeat.

The courtyard above Monsterkabinett is brimming with creativity and oddities. More of Heiner's metallic monsters can be found lurking outside, blending into the industrial-meets-artsy aesthetic. Across from the Monsterkabinett entrance is Eschschloraque, a bar run by the Dead Chickens collective. With dim lighting, surreal decor, and regular performances, the bar feels like an extension of the Monsterkabinett experience. The courtyard is also home to Many Tentacles, an atelier and art shop, and Neurotitan, a gallery and store showcasing edgy, contemporary art. The alley itself that leads to the courtyard, dubbed Dead Chicken Alley, is adorned with colorful street art.

For history buffs, the courtyard also houses the Museum Blindenwerkstatt, where Otto Weidt employed visually impaired Jewish workers during World War II to shield them from persecution. Also connected to the courtyard, the Anne Frank Center offers a glimpse into her life, including her original diary. The surrounding Hackesche Höfe itself, built in 1906, is a stunning example of Art Nouveau architecture, filled with restaurants and shops like the historic Restaurant Hackescher Hof. Whether traveling solo — Berlin being one of the best-ranked destinations for solo travel, after all — or with friends, this courtyard is a microcosm of Berlin's charm: Art, history, and a hint of the peculiar lurking just below the surface.