18 years of ALEXA: Shopping. Stars. Sensations
ALEXA Berlin opened its doors for the first time on 12 September 2007 – and since then it has been much more than just a shopping centre. This year we are celebrating our 18th birthday together with you – a milestone full of history, emotions and unforgettable moments. Find out more about the birthday event here
From ground-breaking ceremony to Berlin icon
The story began with a ground-breaking ceremony on 29 October 2004 with the aim of reinventing Alexanderplatz as part of the city centre plan – with ALEXA as the shining centrepiece.
The Portuguese-French partnership of Sonae Sierra and Foncière Euris invested around 290 million euros in the major project. A centre with an international signature was created on the site of the former Berlin Degewo AG: planned by the architects RTKL Associates (USA) and Ortner & Ortner (Berlin), implemented by the Portuguese in-house architect José Manuel Quintela da Fonseca.
The striking pink and red façade, Art Deco elements, round arches and golden canopies all give the ALEXA its unmistakable 1920s-style look, which was deliberately designed to stand out from Alexanderplatz.
The ALEXA is now owned by Union Investment and is managed by Sonae Sierra.
A start full of glamour – The ALEXA opening 2007
On 12 September 2007, the time had come: ALEXA Berlin opened its doors for the first time with great excitement and a huge number of visitors – directly on Alexanderplatz and with over 180 shops, a modern food court and a unique Art Deco design.
After just two weeks, on 26 September at 10:38 a.m., we were able to welcome the first million visitors, Sandra Weber, – a fantastic start for Berlin’s most popular shopping centre today.
Today, around 180 shops – from trendy fashion to electronics and books – are spread over around 43,000 m² of retail space. The food court with 18 catering outlets and 750 seats invites you to linger. And leisure fans will not miss out either: a fitness centre, bowling alleys and other attractions provide entertainment that goes beyond pure shopping.
Well-known tenants such as Inditex, MediaMarkt (one of the largest shops with 8,000 m² on four floors), Thalia, Popmart and many more make the ALEXA a unique shopping and experience centre.
A magnet for stars & experiences in the centre of ALEXA
Since day one, ALEXA has been more than just a shopping centre: it’s a stage, a meeting place and an experience.
Rihanna, 50 Cent, Boss Hoss, David Beckham, Ozzy Osbourne, Shirin David or Helene Fischer – they have all performed on our stage. Whether release events, autograph sessions or showcases – ALEXA has made history.
But it’s not just celebrities who are drawn to us – our visitors also regularly experience special highlights: ALEXA is a top address for events of all kinds. Whether for holidays such as Easter and Christmas, seasonal events such as the popular environmental weeks ‘ALEXA bewusst (er)leben’, our colourful children’s events or rousing music and dance performances – there’s always something going on here.
