Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle (BBGZ) | Photos & Opening

The Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle in the Citizen, Meeting, and Health Center, short BBGZ, is one of the most prominent new sports and movement venues in Erlangen-Southeast. It is designed as a modern four-court sports hall, offers around 1,000 spectator seats, and complements its sports areas with multipurpose, gymnastics, fitness, and movement rooms. Additionally, there is a spacious foyer, a meeting room with glass fronts, a bar area, and a publicly accessible outdoor area. This combination of sports, interaction, and event quality makes the hall particularly interesting for schools, clubs, groups, and event formats. The official use is aimed at school and club sports as well as exhibitions, conferences, and similar events. Since its official opening on September 15, 2024, the hall has become an integral part of the urban infrastructure and is perceived as a central building block for movement and interaction in the BBGZ environment. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/aktuelles/gerd-lohwasser-halle))

Photos, First Impressions, and Why the Hall is Frequently Searched

Those searching for the Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle often want to see pictures first. This is understandable, as the hall does not resemble a classic single-sport facility but rather a deliberately designed part of a larger urban ensemble. On the city’s overview page, it is described as the center of the BBGZ; at the same time, the official contributions and reports from the city also show images from the construction phase, opening, and outdoor areas. This creates a very clear first impression: It is not just about playing field lines and stands, but about a place where architecture, light, movement, and public space come together. For the search intent for photos, it is particularly important that the hall has been visually documented repeatedly in the official contributions. Those who want to orient themselves in advance thus get a realistic picture of how modern and open the building is designed. The search for images is therefore not merely an aesthetic concern but often the first step to better understand the size, usage type, and atmosphere of the hall. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/aktuelles/gerd-lohwasser-halle))

It is particularly striking that the Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle is not only intended for sports but also for public usage scenarios involving exhibitions, meetings, and interactions. The spacious foyer can provide a framework for exhibitions, and the large meeting room with glass fronts can be used together with the bar area for conferences and similar events. This combination explains why many users search for photos, images, and experiences: They want to understand whether the hall is more functional, more representative, or both at the same time. The official description suggests that both apply. On one hand, it is sporty-pragmatic; on the other hand, it is prepared for larger occasions. This dual identity generates attention in search engines and among social media users. Especially for organizers, clubs, and visitors who want to form an impression before booking or visiting, photos are particularly relevant because they show how versatile the venue can be used in everyday life and at events. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/aktuelles/gerd-lohwasser-halle))

The timing of the public opening also played a role: During the open house day of the city of Erlangen on April 27, 2024, the new sports facility was accessible to the public for the first time. This was the first real moment for many interested parties to experience the hall before it was officially opened in September. Such transitions almost automatically generate search queries like photos, opening, or reviews because people want to see firsthand impressions. From an SEO perspective, this is particularly exciting because the demand does not only depend on the hall itself but on its status as a new, much-discussed object in the neighborhood. The official reporting from the city makes this development easy to follow: first construction progress, then first access for the public, and finally the festive opening. For users, this means clear orientation because image searches, information searches, and visit planning focus on the same place. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Bauen%20%26%20Planen/Stadterneuerung/Jahresberichte/jahresbericht_2022-24_.pdf?q=normal&s=list&tn=1&utm_source=openai))

Opening and Development of the BBGZ in Erlangen-Southeast

The Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle was not created in isolation but as part of a larger project in the southern and eastern parts of Erlangen. The Citizen, Meeting, and Health Center, short BBGZ, was conceived as a new space for interaction and movement and is one of the larger urban development projects in the Erlangen-Southeast area. According to the official planning documents, the BBGZ consists of three building parts: the Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle with its four-court sports hall and additional movement and gymnastics rooms, the climbing center of the German Alpine Club, and a family center of the city youth office. This is important for classification because the hall is thus part of a larger social and sports network and should not be understood merely as a standalone building. The planning was developed, according to the city, partly with citizen participation, so that the outdoor facilities and usage forms are embedded in a broader neighborhood context. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Bauen%20%26%20Planen/Stadterneuerung/Jahresberichte/2022_jahresbericht_2020-2021_web.pdf?q=normal&s=list&tn=1))

The timeline shows how complex the project was. After the preliminary work, the groundbreaking ceremony took place in February 2020, and the laying of the foundation stone followed at the end of July 2020. Originally, the opening was scheduled for early 2023, but various delays postponed the completion. The city reports refer to pandemic-related disruptions, problems with company deployments, and shortages of building materials in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, a fire on the roof in April 2021 temporarily halted construction work. It is all the more remarkable that in 2024, a small trial operation was possible before the official use began at the start of the school year in September 2024. This development explains why the hall is often searched with terms like opening, new, or modern: It is indeed a relatively young project with a longer and publicly perceptible history of development. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Bauen%20%26%20Planen/Stadterneuerung/Jahresberichte/2022_jahresbericht_2020-2021_web.pdf?q=normal&s=list&tn=1))

The official opening took place on September 15, 2024, and was described by the city of Erlangen as a ceremonial occasion with a program. The Bavarian Ministry of the Interior and Sports highlighted the hall at that time as a state-of-the-art showcase project and emphasized its importance for school, club, and recreational sports. At the same time, the city underscores in its reports that the hall had already arrived in everyday life before the official opening: The public was able to experience it for the first time during the open house day on April 27, 2024, and the GUBIES project subsequently implemented further movement and health-promoting offers. For visitors, this chronology is useful because it shows when the hall actually became usable and what role it has played since then. The Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle is thus not just a building but an urban infrastructure project with a clear social function. ([stmi.bayern.de](https://www.stmi.bayern.de/presse-und-medien/pressemitteilungen/detail/herrmann-gratuliert-zur-eroeffnung-der-gerd-lohwasser-halle-18569/))

Facilities, Capacity, and Typical Events

The Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle is primarily a four-court hall. This means it is significantly more versatile than a regular school sports hall and can combine several usage areas under one roof. According to the official documents, it has around 1,000 spectator seats as well as multipurpose, movement, and gymnastics rooms. This combination makes it a location for school and club sports, but also for movement offers, training groups, and formats with larger audiences. The official description also makes it clear that the hall is conceived in the overall context of the BBGZ and is intended to create new movement and interaction opportunities together with the other building parts. For search queries regarding capacity or floor plans, it is therefore important to understand: The hall is large enough for competitions and events but remains flexible enough for partial use and different room concepts. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Bauen%20%26%20Planen/Stadterneuerung/Jahresberichte/2022_jahresbericht_2020-2021_web.pdf?q=normal&s=list&tn=1))

The event capability is a central feature. The city explicitly mentions a spacious foyer that can serve as a framework for exhibitions and a large meeting room with glass fronts that can be used together with the bar area for conferences and similar events. This speaks for a hall that not only handles sports operations but is also prepared for institutional, social, and cultural events. This is where the added value lies compared to many classic sports halls: The building can accommodate not only points, goals, and training hours but also audiences, exchanges, and representative formats. Official events illustrate this well: For example, a table tennis tournament took place in the hall as part of the partnership day with Jena, along with other sports and interaction formats. The inclusive environment of the BBGZ and the use of the outdoor area for larger events also show that the hall is designed for more than just sports. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/aktuelles/gerd-lohwasser-halle))

For typical events, it is also crucial that the hall was not conceived as a rigid standalone object but as a usable system of hall spaces, movement rooms, and outdoor areas. The city describes the publicly accessible outdoor area as an additional space for sports and social activities. This significantly expands the range of applications because it allows for formats that lie between sports, health, and interaction. Additionally, open movement offers for children appear on city pages, such as the movement landscape with clearly regulated time slots and ticket sales, which shows that the hall is also used for low-threshold offers in everyday life. This is attractive for organizers because it allows for different target groups to be addressed: schools, clubs, families, children's groups, and organized event formats. The Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle thus exemplifies a modern multipurpose use where infrastructure is not only available but specifically designed for various needs. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/aktuelles/gerd-lohwasser-halle))

Content-wise, the hall also fits into the development logic of the BBGZ. The urban renewal report emphasizes that nearby child day care centers, youth social work, family education, and other usage offers are planned in the vicinity. This means: The sports hall is part of a neighborhood that thinks about movement, health, and social use together. Precisely for this reason, the search for events, capacity, or usage options is so frequent. People want to know whether they can only see sports there, whether there are public appointments, or whether the place is also interesting for their own events. The answer is clear: yes, because the hall is prepared for different types of use and is already being used in several formats today. Therefore, anyone looking for a modern sports and event space in Erlangen will find an unusually flexible address here. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/uwao-api/faila/files/bypath/Dokumente/Bauen%20%26%20Planen/Stadterneuerung/Jahresberichte/2022_jahresbericht_2020-2021_web.pdf?q=normal&s=list&tn=1))

Directions, Parking, and Orientation around Hartmannstraße 114

The Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle is located at Hartmannstraße 114 in Erlangen-Southeast and forms the center of the BBGZ. For orientation, this location is important because the hall is well accessible but not located in the middle of the historic city center. Visitors should therefore familiarize themselves with the surroundings in advance, especially when coming to games, tournaments, or public events. The city’s parking guidelines in Erlangen generally show that there are often free capacities in parking garages and underground garages around the city center at many times of the day and that since January 1, 2024, all bus lines within the free city center area can be used for free. Even though the hall itself is not in the city center, this indicates that Erlangen is increasingly relying on combinations of parking and public transport for visitor traffic. This is relevant for a hall with event character because it allows for good connections with city traffic. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/aktuelles/gerd-lohwasser-halle))

In the immediate vicinity, parking options are also mentioned. On the access page of the nearby Röthelheimbad, the operator points out that guests can use the parking facilities on Hartmannstraße next to the Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle and on Gebbertstraße. This is not a specific visitor instruction from the hall but a very helpful hint for spatial orientation because the two facilities are located closely together. Especially during events, this proximity can be practical, as it shows that there are at least designated parking options in the neighborhood of the BBGZ. At the same time, according to city participation documents, the parking situation in the area has been tense for some time and has been described as precarious. This results in a clear visitor tip: Those coming to large events should arrive early and be prepared for possible bottlenecks. For search queries regarding parking or directions, this is one of the most important real hints overall. ([baeder.estw.de](https://baeder.estw.de/de/Roethelheim/Anfahrt/?utm_source=openai))

Those who do not drive to the hall should understand the location as part of a larger neighborhood and plan their routes accordingly. The official location in the BBGZ is well positioned in the south and east of Erlangen, and the urban area is characterized by various mobility offers. Generally, in Erlangen, visitors can rely on parking garages, underground garages, and free bus connections in the central areas. For the Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle itself, this primarily means: Depending on the event, the combination of bicycle, bus, and car can be sensible. The city also describes that all areas are signposted. Therefore, those arriving with navigation should orient themselves at Hartmannstraße and allow a little buffer for large events. For SEO search queries around parking, directions, and location, this mixture of address, surroundings, and usage pressure is particularly relevant. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/aktuelles/parken-in-erlangen))

Booking, Use, and Reviews

The Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle can be booked through an official online application from the city of Erlangen. This is an important point for anyone searching for tickets, booking, use, or rental, as it shows: The hall is not only a place for public events but also a municipal sports facility with a regulated allocation process. The city’s service page explicitly states that the Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle can be applied for online. For clubs, groups, and organizers, this is a clear advantage because it provides formal access to a large, modern sports hall with event potential. In the SEO context, such search queries are often particularly valuable because they arise from concrete usage interest and not just from general curiosity. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/service/3582))

Additionally, the city’s offer shows that the hall is also used within the framework of movement and health formats. A current contribution from the city, for example, describes a movement landscape for children that takes place in the Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle and is organized through tickets and regulated time slots. This emphasizes that the hall does not only exist for competitive operations but is also open for low-threshold, family-friendly offers in everyday life. Such formats are particularly valuable for the perception of the hall because they make the place more accessible and appeal to a broader audience. Therefore, those searching for reviews or the character of the venue will find not only architecture here but also hints about the actual usage in everyday life. The impression is clear: The hall is a vibrant part of the neighborhood and is used across various age and target groups. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/aktuelles/bewegungslandschaft-buchen?utm_source=openai))

The existing reviews are very positive. In the user-provided ratings, the hall scores 4.8 out of 5 stars on 25 reviews. The feedback is concise but clear: It is described as modern, beautiful, and also suitable for larger events; another comment emphasizes basketball, while another highlights the overall positive impression. For search queries regarding reviews, this is a strong signal because it confirms that the hall is not only theoretically good but is perceived as high quality in everyday life. Particularly important is the combination of new architecture, functional usability, and event suitability. Such reviews help potential visitors and organizers better assess their own decisions. Together with the official facts, a coherent picture emerges: The Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle is modern, versatile, and has already been well received in practical use. ([stmi.bayern.de](https://www.stmi.bayern.de/presse-und-medien/pressemitteilungen/detail/herrmann-gratuliert-zur-eroeffnung-der-gerd-lohwasser-halle-18569/))

Anyone searching for photos, openings, or general impressions should always see the hall in the context of the BBGZ. The official city page, the report on urban renewal, and the service pages for booking and parking together show that a completely new place has emerged here, designed for interaction, movement, and flexible use. The Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle is not just an ancillary building or an anonymous functional hall but a deliberately placed focal point of the area. This makes it strong in searches and content-wise interesting. For visitors, this means: Those who inform themselves in advance find reliable information on capacity, use, and location, and those who later visit the hall experience a place where sports and public life are brought together. ([erlangen.de](https://erlangen.de/aktuelles/gerd-lohwasser-halle))

Sources:

• City of Erlangen - Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle
• Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior - Opening of the Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle
• City of Erlangen - Urban Renewal Annual Report 2022-24
• City of Erlangen - Usage Concept BBGZ
• City of Erlangen - Parking in Erlangen
• City of Erlangen - Book Gerd-Lohwasser-Halle
• ESTW - Directions to Röthelheimbad and Parking Options in the Area