Olympic Park Berlin

The Berlin Olympic Stadium is a modern sports facility and at the same time a significant testimony to German history of the 20th century. As an almost completely preserved "Gesamtkunstwerk", the sports facility is the only completed major construction project from the early years of National Socialism.

On the area of the Grunewald racecourse, the German Stadium was built in 1913 for the 1916 Olympic Games planned in Berlin, which were cancelled due to the First World War. For the 1936 Olympic Games to be held in Berlin, the Reichssportfeld was essentially recreated in its current form. In the process, the German Stadium was largely demolished and replaced by the Olympic Stadium. The almost completely preserved sports complex is considered an impressive testimony to National Socialist building and art policy.

In addition to the Olympic Stadium, the Olympic grounds include the German Sports Forum, Olympic Swimming Stadium, Waldbühne, Maifeld, Glockenturm with Langemarckhalle as well as a hockey stadium and an equestrian stadium. The Waldbühne regularly hosts open-air events. The bell tower serves as a lookout tower with views over the Olympic grounds and the surrounding districts of Berlin.

The Olympic Stadium was thoroughly renovated for the 2006 World Cup and received, among other things, a wide-span roof. Since 2006, the permanent exhibition History Site Olympic Grounds 1909 - 1936 - 2006 (in the building of the bell tower) as well as 45 information boards in and around the grounds inform visitors about the history of the 100-year-old sports facility. The 45 panels are designed as a "Historical Commentary on the Berlin Olympic Grounds". They enable visitors to the sports complex to reflect on the historical buildings and works of art from the early days of National Socialism and the political background to their construction. An overview of the panels and a map of the site can be found at www.bfgg.de (Projects, Olympiastadion Berlin).