Olympic Stadium Berlin

The Berlin Olympic Stadium dates back to 1936 and is known for its architecture influenced by National Socialism. It was extensively renovated between 2000 and 2004. Today, the stadium is home to the Bundesliga club Hertha BSC.

The Berlin Olympic Stadium in the southwest of the city was built from 1934 to 1936 during the National Socialist era. The architect Werner March created space for 100,000 spectators, who were able to attend the 1936 Summer Olympics here. With its clear, geometric shapes, the stadium was inspired by the architecture of ancient sports facilities. Nazi architect Albert Speer probably gave advice on the design of the site.

In addition to the former “Reichssportfeld”, there was also the Maifeld, which served as a site for Nazi propaganda events. The Waldbühne was another part of the Berlin Olympic Stadium. It is designed like an ancient amphitheater and served as the venue for gymnastics competitions in 1936. Today, concerts are held here in the open air. The striking bell tower offers a good view of the city, the stadium, the Maifeld and the Waldbühne.

The Olympiastadion Berlin has already seen numerous major events. The story begins with the XI Olympic Games, which took place as scheduled from August 1 to 16, 1936. A further 20 major events, such as the first German soccer championship in 1937, Mussolini’s state reception and important sports festivals took place over the next few years. With the start of the Second World War, the “Reichssportfeld” was converted. From then on, it served as a bunker, a production site for detonators, an ammunition depot and an alternative location for radio broadcasting. Food and wine were also stored here. After the end of the war, it turned out that there were many bomb craters on the site of the Olympic Stadium. The bell tower was destroyed by fire.

After the Second World War, the stadium was slowly rebuilt. The British military administration ordered the grandstand with the former “Führerloge” to be shortened. The area where Hitler had stood was removed. This served to prevent a possible neo-Nazi place of worship. The bell tower of the Olympic Stadium was blown up in 1947 and rebuilt in 1962. From the 1960s onwards, more soccer matches were played in the stadium, such as the match between Hertha BSC and 1. FC Köln on September 26, 1969, which attracted 88,075 spectators, the highest number of spectators for a Bundesliga match to date. The stadium was given a partial roof for the 1974 FIFA World Cup.

At the turn of the millennium, renovation work began on the Olympiastadion Berlin while the stadium remained open. The lower ring was completely renovated according to designs by architects Gerkan, Marg and Partners. 13 new skyboxes in the upper ring and structural improvements were part of the refurbishment. After completion, the stadium had 74,475 seats. It was ceremoniously reopened on August 1, 2004. An important event in the more recent history of the Olympic Stadium was the staging of the 2006 World Cup final. The main user of the stadium is the German Bundesliga team Hertha BSC. The DFB Cup final has also been held in the Olympic Stadium since 1985.

The total cost of the renovation amounted to around 242 million euros, of which the federal government covered 196 million euros. After the renovation, the UEFA awarded the Berlin Olympic Stadium the status of a five-star stadium. Prizes such as the German Steel Construction Prize in 2004, the Berlin Architecture Prize in 2006 and the IAKS All-Time Award in 2015 recognized the successful renovation of the Olympic Stadium.

Today, the stadium is one of the most modern in Germany. Among other things, it is working on reducing its CO2 footprint with a photovoltaic system on the roof. There are repeated rumors that Hertha BSC wants to leave the Olympiastadion Berlin. Noise complaints and the condition of the pitch are further challenges , according to Timo Rohwedder, Managing Director of Olympiastadion GmbH. However, no major renovation projects are currently planned.

The Olympiastadion Berlin is an important example of architecture influenced by National Socialism. It is located on the axial Olympic site, which was formerly known as the Reichssportfeld. In addition to the stadium itself, the site also includes the Sportforum, the Olympic field hockey stadium, the Olympic equestrian stadium, the Olympic swimming stadium, the Waldbühne, the Maifeld, the Glockenturm and the Langemarckhalle. The central axis, typical of National Socialism, stretches from east to west.

The stadium oval is interrupted to the west by an opening above the Marathon Gate. This opens up a visual axis across the Maifeld to the bell tower. The fire bowl for the Olympic flame is located in the opening. The names of the gold medal winners of Olympic competitions are inscribed on the walls of the two pylons at the breakthrough, the marathon plateau.

The main entrance to the Olympiastadion Berlin is the East Gate, also known as the Olympic Gate. It is highlighted by two 35 meter high towers, between which the Olympic rings hang. The towers are called Preußenturm and Bayernturm. There are four more towers on the border with the Maifeld, which are symmetrical to the east-west axis. They are called the Sachsenturm, Friesenturm, Frankenturm and Schwabenturm.

The stadium itself is partly an earth stadium, so that only the upper ring, which is supported on reinforced concrete pillars, protrudes above ground level. The visible outer walls and pillars of the building are clad in cast stone. In the grandstand area on the south side, there used to be the “Führerloge”, which was accessible at ground level. The stadium is 303.48 meters long and 228.31 meters wide from pillar to pillar.

Today, the Olympiastadion Berlin primarily serves as the home ground of Hertha BSC. The soccer club is the main user of the stadium. Other sporting events and major non-sporting events, such as church congresses or concerts, are also occasionally held here. Around 300,000 tourists visit the Olympic Stadium every year. Recreational athletes have the opportunity to run through the famous stadium during running events. A history trail on the Olympic site with 45 panels guides visitors through the origins and history of the complex. There are also highlight tours where visitors can take a look inside the changing rooms, underground halls and VIP areas. Unguided tours are also possible.

On non-event days, it is easy to find a parking space on the grounds. Alternatively, the Olympiastadion Berlin can be reached by subway line US, S-Bahn line S5 or by bus. Tickets for the Olympiastadion Berlin cost 7 euros. Between November and March, the stadium is open from 10 am to 4 pm. From April to October, it is open from 9 am to 7 pm.

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