The Bermudadreieck (Bermuda Triangle) in the center of Bochum is the designation for an area with a high density of bars and restaurants. It is located between Südring and Konrad-Adenauer-Platz. The number of gastronomic establishemnts has increased since the beginning of the 1980s, spurred by the short distance to the Bochum Theater, Union Theater and the main train station.
There are over 60 catering establishments in the Bermuda Triangle. The area has expanded to approximately 2 km² with seating for over 8,000, including 4,200 seats outdoors. Over 3 million visitors are served per year. On sunny, summer weekends, there are often up to 30,000 visitors a day, including tourists from all across Germany. During major events, such as Bochum Total, numbers can reach up to 300,000 a day.[1] The Bermuda Triangle provides about 1,600 jobs. The development of the area has privatized once-public space and turned it into beer gardens, which, although not without controversy, has been accepted by the general population.
Bermuda Triangle property rates have risen so much in recent years, that longtime retailers are increasingly forced out. The vacant spaces are then taken over by the restaurant and catering sector. Triangle prices for food and beverages are often above the local average, sometimes comparing with expensive cities like Düsseldorf, Munich and Hamburg.
The heart of the Bermuda Triangle is the square around the Engelbert Fountain, named after Count Engelbert III of the Mark. There is a procession each year, named the Maiabendfest (May Evening Festival). The fountain was removed in spring 2009.
Among the major events are:
The Bermuda Triangle is a cultural focal point of Bochum and a popular meeting place for people from throughout the Ruhr region. In addition to these events, it is near the Schauspielhaus Bochum, a nightclub, several cinemas, a cabaret by Frank Goosen. There are also plans for a new concert hall for the Bochum Symphony Orchestra to be erected nearby.[1]