Ratskeller facts for kids
A Ratskeller (pronounced "RAHTS-kel-ler") is a special kind of restaurant or bar. The name comes from German and means "council's cellar". These places are usually found in the basement of a city hall (called a Rathaus in German) or very close by.
You can find Ratskellers all over the world, not just in German-speaking countries. Many places like taverns, nightclubs, and bars use this name. In English, the word has been used since the mid-1800s. Some places in New York even called themselves "Rathskeller" back then.
Contents
Famous Ratskellers Around the World
Ratskellers in Germany
Germany has some very old and famous Ratskellers.
The Bremen Ratskeller was built way back in 1405. It has one of the oldest wine cellars in all of Germany! For a long time, it was a very important place for selling wine in the city of Bremen.
Another old one is the Ratskeller in Lübeck. Parts of this building are from the Romanesque time, which was many centuries ago. People first started using it to store wine in the year 1220.
Ratskellers in North America
In America, you might often see the word spelled Rathskeller. This is done to make sure people don't confuse it with the word "rat".
The Das Deutsche Haus Ratskeller restaurant in Indianapolis is a very important historical building. It's now called the Athenaeum. This restaurant has been serving delicious Bavarian food since 1894!
The Rathskeller in Boston was a super famous rock and roll music club. It was open from 1974 to 1997. Many popular bands played there, including The Cars and Pixies. Even bands like The Police and Metallica played there before they became huge stars!
The Minnesota State Capitol building, finished in 1905, also has a Rathskeller. It was recently fixed up and restored in 2017. This Rathskeller has 29 different German sayings painted on its walls. When it first opened in 1905, it was a full restaurant. Today, it's a cafe for people who work there and visitors.
Ratskellers at Universities
Many universities and public places in the United States have pubs or dining areas. These are often located in basements that have been changed for a new use. To make these eating spots sound cool, many of them are called "Ratskeller" or something similar.
Here are some examples:
- Binghamton University has "The Rat," which was the first SUNY rathskeller.
- Boston College also has a place called "The Rat."
- Colorado State University has "The Ramskeller."
- Union College has "The Rathskeller," which students call "Skeller." It's under The Old Chapel.
- University of North Carolina had "The Ram's Head Rathskeller," known as "The Rat." It opened in 1948 and closed in 2008.
- University of Wisconsin–Madison has "Der Rathskeller."
- University at Buffalo (SUNY) had a place called The Rathskeller. It served food and sometimes had live music. It closed in 1982.
- University of California, San Diego Muir College had "The Ratskeller." It served food and non-alcoholic drinks. It was later replaced by a different restaurant.
- McMaster University had a student pub called The Rathskeller for over 30 years. It was in the basement of a dining hall. It closed in the early 2000s.
- Florida Institute of Technology has the "Rathskeller Eatery & Convenience Store," which students call "The Rat."
- Oberlin College also has a place known as "the Rat."
