Olympic Stadium

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  ISTAF Berlin: Visitors stand in front of the Berlin Olympic Stadium.

• Colonnades of the Olympiastadion in Berlin Westend

• ISTAF: 3000m steeplechase women (archive)

• Berlin Olympic Stadium (aerial view)

The Olympic Stadium is Berlin's largest sports stadium. Built for the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, it now hosts major sports and entertainment events.

If you hear cheers or the sound of guitars in the west of Berlin, they are most likely coming from the Berlin Olympic Stadium. The large stadium in Charlottenburg was once built for the 1936 Olympic Games. Today, it not only hosts sports competitions, but also major concerts, trade fairs and other events.

Of horses and Olympians

The plans for the Olympic Stadium were drawn up by the March family, a family of architects. But before the stadium was built in its current form, Otto March built a 2.5-kilometre-long racecourse in the northern foothills of the Grunewald forest in 1909. After Berlin won the bid to host the 1916 Olympic Games, the Deutsches Stadion (German Stadium) was built within the racecourse grounds. The largest sports stadium at the time was mainly used for ceremonies and military purposes.

Redesign by the National Socialists

When it was clear that the 1936 Olympic Games would be held in Berlin, Werner March was commissioned to rebuild the German Stadium. However, the National Socialists were not satisfied with a conversion and had the site redesigned as the "Reichssportfeld". For the Olympic Games, a large symmetrical facility was created with the Olympic Stadium, which now offered space for 110,000 spectators. In addition, the Maifeld with the spectator stand and the Langemarckhalle was laid out as a parade ground. The Olympic Tower towered over the expansive Reichssportfeld. From here, the police, medical service and media were able to observe the events. Gymnastics competitions were held during the Olympic Games in what is now the Waldbühne, formerly an open-air stage. A field hockey stadium, an equestrian stadium and a swimming stadium were also built on the Reichssportfeld. The German Sports Forum formed the northern end.

Reconstruction of the Glockenturm

After the end of the Second World War, the site was partly used by the British occupying forces. The Glockenturm (bell tower), which was burnt out during the war, had to be blown up in 1947. The reconstruction in the years 1960-62 was again supervised by Werner March.

Home stadium of Hertha BSC

The Olympic Stadium was rebuilt and modernized again between 2000 and 2004. It was given a roof under which 75,000 spectators can sit in safety. A chapel was inaugurated in the Olympic Stadium just in time for the 2006 Football World Cup in Berlin. The Olympic Stadium is the home stadium of the Berlin soccer club Hertha BSC. The club's colors, white and blue, are reflected in the blue tartan track of the Olympic Stadium.

Olympic Stadium Information

• Address:
  Olympischer Platz 1
  14053 Berlin
  City map
• Opening Hours: Daily from 9 am to 8 pm
• Please note: The Olympiastadion Berlin remains closed on event days and during Hertha BSC home matches.
• Accessibility: Disabled parking spaces in parking lot PO4. Wheelchair spaces in the stadium in row 41. Barrier-free access to the lower concourse at the level of blocks C/D, G/H, J/K, N, Q/R and S/T.
• Internet: olympiastadion.berlin/en/
• Admission Fee:
  Adults €11, concessions €8, children (6 to 14 years) €6, family ticket €25
• Tours: Various themed guided tours