History of the Paulaner Festzelt

The origins of today’s festival tent date back to 1895, when a tent of the marksmen’s guild Schützengilde Winzerer Fähndl first appeared at the Oktoberfest.
At that time, the tent served as a gathering hall for the shooting association and offered guests a convivial, traditional atmosphere. During this period, the Oktoberfest was still strongly rooted in regional customs, and the beer tents grew gradually, step by step.

Over the years, the tent was increasingly supplied by the Munich brewery PAULANER, whose roots go back to 1634.
What had once been a purely association-based tent evolved into a large festival hall that became ever more important to the life and spirit of the Oktoberfest.

In the second half of the 20th century, the tent underwent several phases of modernization – architecturally, technically, and organizationally.
Its most distinctive feature became the iconic tower with the rotating beer stein on the tent roof: a symbol of the Oktoberfest visible from afar and a popular photo motif for visitors from all over the world.

With the new millennium, a modern chapter began. In 2010, the Paulaner Festzelt was comprehensively renewed and upgraded to the highest technical standards – including an innovative beer pipeline system for the perfectly poured Maß.
Until 2018, the tent carried the traditional name “Winzerer Fähndl” before being officially renamed “Paulaner Festzelt” – a name that today stands for quality, conviviality, and Munich joie de vivre.
Today, the Paulaner Festzelt is one of the largest and best-known tents at the Wiesn.
It combines Bavarian tradition with modern comfort, offering excellent cuisine, a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and a distinctive ambiance in which history and the present day blend harmoniously.