On a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, the Schneckenhof is just a normal courtyard of the Schloss which has become a little outdated. But if this courtyard could tell stories, it would have a lot to tell. Most stories would be about Thursdays. Fog machines, bass sounds, cocktails and a dancing crowd turn the courtyard into the legendary Schneckenhof. Many generations of students have been part of this crowd and all have very special memories.
On this page we provide some facts and tell stories from the present and the past, from day and night.
Thursday = party
During the lecture period, the departmental student committees take turns and organize parties every Thursday at 9 p.m. Every departmental student committee organizes one party per semester. The party teams of the departmental student committees set up, clean up, design flyers and posters, think of mottos and take care of selling pre-sale tickets.
The dates of the Schneckenhof parties are available on Instagram: @schneckenhof.vs.
Information on presale tickets
- There are usually two dates on which the departmental student committees sell the tickets for the parties on Thursday. Presale always takes place on the meadow in front of the Mensa .
- Some departmental student committees limit the number of tickets that can be purchased. Often, a person can buy a maximum of two tickets, so that as many people as possible have the chance to buy a ticket. The queues are long – sometimes several hundred meters – and meander over the entire Mensawiese to the Ehrenhof.
- The music and decoration sometimes offer a taste of the party and the motto.
Who invented it?
The first Schneckenhof party was organized in 1971 – more than 50 years ago – by “the Norwegians”. Until the end of the 80’s, Norwegian students formed the largest group of international students. There was smoked salmon, Aquavit, goat cheese and Flatbrød. A relic of this period is the Norwegian party in the Schneckenhof, which still exists today.
Credit: schneckenhof.de
Credit: Universitätsarchiv, Foto aus dem Uni-Report 3/
Credit: Universitätsarchiv, Foto aus dem Uni-Report 3/
Credit: Universitätsarchiv, Foto aus dem Uni-Report 3/
Credit: Universitätsarchiv
Credit: Uni-Buch
Credit: Universitätsarchiv
Credit: Universitätsarchiv
Credit: schneckenhof.de / Service und Marketing GmbH
Credit: Schneckenhof.de / Service und Marketing GmbH
Credit: Schneckenhof.de / Service und Marketing GmbH
Credit: schneckenhof.de / Service und Marketing GmbH
Credit: Laurenz Stammberger
Credit: Laurenz Stammberger
Credit: Laurenz Stammberger
Credit: Laurenz Stammberger
Credit: Laurenz Stammberger
Schneckenhof during the day
During the day, the Schneckenhof turns into a normal courtyard again. From spring to autumn, students study, eat, drink and chat here. Sometimes you can watch the departmental student committee preparing for a party or cleaning up afterwards. Events such as the Q-Summit also take place in the Schneckenhof.
A snail as namesake
Credit: Katrin Glückler
In the four corners of the Schneckenhof (the literal translation would be “snail courtyard”), there are small towers. In each tower, there is a staircase. Viewed from above or below, these resemble the shape of a snail. Hence the name of the adjoining courtyard: Schneckenhof.
Outside the lecture period, there is the possibility of renting the Schneckenhof for company events – this is also possible with other rooms in the Schloss.