Welcome to the most sinful mile in the world
The Reeperbahn turns 400: read here to find out the ten most interesting facts about this iconic strip – and learn what links the Beatles to Hamburg’s party district.
Kim Berg,
29.04.2026 
- The Reeperbahn is located in the St. Pauli district in Hamburg, where more than 300 bars, clubs, discos and brothels are packed into just a few square kilometres.
- “The most sinful mile in the world” is not even one kilometre long: the Reeperbahn measures around 930 metres.
- The street dates back to 1626, when rope makers (“Reepschläger”) settled there to produce ship’s ropes. The Reeperbahn developed from a working-class district into an internationally renowned entertainment boulevard.
- St. Pauli and the Reeperbahn are among the most historic centres of queer life in Germany. From an early stage, the area provided space for alternative ways of life and developed into a centre of the LGBTQ+ scene.
- The street attracts around 25 to 30 million visitors each year.
- St. Pauli is considered a key starting point in the Beatles’ career. It was here that they performed at places like the legendary Star-Club, which opened in 1962. The Beatles also met their later drummer Ringo Starr during their time in Hamburg. Beatles-Platz was opened in St. Pauli in their honour in 2008.
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Open consent form- The district is an important music hub: more than 600 concerts take place at over 90 venues at the annual Reeperbahn Festival.
- One of Hamburg’s smallest streets is located off the Reeperbahn: Herbertstrasse is only about 60 metres long – and belongs to the red-light district.
- The famous Davidwache police station on the Reeperbahn is probably one of the most frequently photographed police stations in the world.
- Alongside nightlife, there is also culture: several theatres are located here such as Schmidts Tivol, along with museums such as the Panoptikum, Germany’s oldest wax museum (established in 1879).
