The arena was designed by Hermann Senf,[1] who referred to the Loreley rock as a "kind of shrine".

[6][7] After World War II, the facility was the site of an international camp for European youth in the summer of 1951, and was then used for the presentation of classic drama from 1952 to 1967.

[6] Other rock performers who have appeared there include the Ramones, Metallica, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Thin Lizzy, Joe Cocker, Rainbow, the Kinks, Eric Burdon, Marillion, Gary Moore,[6] R.E.M.,[8] and Muse.

Since 1981, it has been a frequent location for Westdeutscher Rundfunk's Rockpalast[6][9] and from 1981 to 1985, it hosted the affiliated Loreley Open Air Festivals.

[10] Since 2006, the annual Night of the Prog music festival has been held there, with the exception of 2020, when it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.