Olympiastadion (Berlin) facts for kids
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| Full name | Olympiastadion Berlin |
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| Former names | Deutsches Stadion |
| Location | Westend, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Berlin, Germany |
| Public transit | Olympia-Stadion Olympiastadion |
| Owner | Government of Berlin |
| Operator | Olympiastadion Berlin GmbH |
| Executive suites | 65 |
| Capacity | 74,667 |
| Field size | 105 × 68 m |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1934–1936 |
| Opened | 1 August 1936 |
| Renovated | 1974 (reconfiguration) 2000–2004 (World Cup) |
| Construction cost | 43 million ℛℳ (1936) €297 million (2016) |
| Architect | Werner March/Albert Speer (1936) Friedrich Wilhelm Krahe (1974) |
| Tenants | |
| Hertha Berlin (1963–1986, 1988-present) Germany national football team (selected matches) SC Tasmania 1900 Berlin (1965–1966) Tennis Borussia Berlin (1974–1975, 1976–1977) Blau-Weiß 1890 Berlin (1984–1990) Berlin Thunder (2003–2007) |
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The Olympiastadion (meaning Olympic Stadium) is a famous sports stadium in Berlin, Germany. It was first built by Werner March for the 1936 Summer Olympics. During those Olympics, over 100,000 people were thought to have attended events there. Today, the stadium is part of the Olympiapark Berlin.
After big renovations in 2004, the Olympiastadion can now hold 74,475 people. It is the largest stadium in Germany for international football matches. The Olympiastadion is also a top-rated stadium by UEFA, which is the European football governing body.
Besides being used for athletics, the stadium has a long history with football. Since 1963, it has been the home of the Hertha BSC football team. It hosted three matches in the 1974 FIFA World Cup and was updated for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. During the 2006 World Cup, it hosted six matches, including the final game. The DFB-Pokal (German Cup) final is held here every year. The Olympiastadion Berlin also hosted the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final.
It will also host the final of the UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament, along with five other games.
Contents
Stadium's Story: From Past to Present
Early Days: The Deutsches Stadion (1916–1934)
In 1912, the city of Berlin was chosen to host the 1916 Summer Olympics. Germany planned to build a stadium in the Grunewald Forest, west of Berlin. This stadium was known as the Grunewaldstadion.
An architect named Otto March designed the stadium to be partly buried in the ground. However, the 1916 Olympic Games were cancelled because of World War I. In the 1920s, buildings for a sports school were built near the stadium site. Otto March's sons, Werner and Walter, later helped build more parts of these institutions.
Building the Olympiastadion (1936–1945)
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In 1931, Berlin was chosen to host the 1936 Summer Olympics. At first, the German government only planned to fix up the old stadium. Werner March was hired for this job again.
When the Nazis came to power in Germany in 1933, they decided to use the 1936 Olympics to promote their ideas. Adolf Hitler ordered a huge new sports complex to be built. This complex was called the "Reichssportfeld" and included a brand new Olympiastadion. Werner March remained the main architect, with help from his brother Walter.
Construction happened between 1934 and 1936. The Reichssportfeld was very large, covering about 132 hectares (326 acres). It included the Olympiastadion, the Maifeld (a big open field), and the Waldbühne amphitheatre. There were also many other places for different sports like football, swimming, and field hockey.
Werner March built the new Olympiastadion on the foundations of the old Deutsches Stadion. Half of the stadium was built 12 meters (39.4 feet) below ground. The Olympiastadion could hold 110,000 spectators. It also had a special stand for Adolf Hitler. At one end, there was the Marathon Gate with a large holder for the Olympic Flame.
The Maifeld
The Maifeld was a huge grassy area, about 11.2 hectares (28 acres). It was used for large group exercises and annual May Day celebrations. The area was surrounded by raised land, and it could hold 250,000 people. There were also large stands for 60,000 people at the west end.
Underneath the Maifeld stands was the Langemarck-Halle. The Bell Tower also stood nearby. The walls were made of strong stone and had horse sculptures. Inside the Langemarck-Halle, there were pillars with flags and shields. These remembered a battle from World War I. Since 2006, the ground floor has an exhibit about the history of the Reichssportfeld.
During the 1936 Olympics, the Maifeld was used for polo and horse riding events. After World War II, the British Army used the Maifeld for their annual celebrations and sports like cricket. Since 2012, Berlin's cricket clubs use the Maifeld.
The Bell Tower
The Bell Tower was at the western end of the Reichssportfeld. It was 77 meters (247 feet) tall. From its top, you could see all of Berlin. During the games, it was used by officials, doctors, and the media to watch over things.
Inside the tower was the Olympic Bell. It had the Olympic Rings, an eagle, the year 1936, the Brandenburg Gate, and a message. The message said: I call the youth of the world and 11. Olympic Games Berlin.
The Bell Tower was the only part of the Reichssportfeld destroyed in the war. The Third Reich used it to store important documents and films. Soviet troops set fire to its contents, which badly damaged the tower.
In 1947, British engineers tore down the damaged tower. But it was rebuilt exactly as it was in 1962. The original Olympic Bell fell 77 meters when the tower was damaged and cracked. It cannot ring anymore. The old bell is now a memorial.
The new tower was built from 1960 to 1962 by Werner March, using his original plans. Today, the tower is a popular tourist spot. It offers amazing views of Berlin and the surrounding areas.
In April 1945, during the Battle of Berlin at the end of World War II, the Soviet army fought to capture the Olympiastadion. The stadium survived the war almost untouched, only showing marks from machine gun fire.
After the War: West Berlin Era (1945–1990)
After the war, the former Reichssportfeld became the main base for the British military. They used the buildings designed by the March brothers. These buildings had been used by Nazi sports organizations. The British fixed war-damaged buildings and changed some rooms for their own use. For example, a gym became a dining hall.
From 1951 to 2005, a giant antenna on the Olympischer Platz sent radio signals across Berlin. From 1951 until 1994, the British forces held an annual celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday on the Maifeld. Thousands of Berliners attended these events. In the 1960s, American military and high school football teams played exhibition games at the stadium. This introduced many Berliners to American football.
During these years, Bundesliga football matches were played at the Olympiastadion. Hertha BSC was the local team. The Maifeld also hosted football, rugby, and polo games. In the summers, the Waldbühne amphitheatre held classical music concerts and showed movies. It was also used for boxing matches.
Reunified Berlin (1990–2004)
In 1998, people in Berlin discussed what to do with the Olympiastadion. Some wanted to tear it down and build a new one. Others wanted to let it slowly fall apart, like the Colosseum in Rome. In the end, they decided to renovate the Olympiastadion.
FIFA chose the stadium as one of the venues for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The city of Berlin hired a group of companies to do the renovation. The work began on July 3, 2000, with a special ceremony.
A Modern Arena (2004–Present)
The new Olympic Stadium was officially opened with celebrations on July 31 and August 1, 2004. The party included performances by famous singers like Pink and Nena. On the second day, friendly football matches were played. On September 8, 2004, the Brazil played Germany here.
From 2003 to 2007, the stadium was home to the Berlin Thunder, an American football team. In 2011, the stadium hosted the World Culture Festival, where 70,000 people meditated for peace.
In 2018, the stadium hosted the 2018 European Athletics Championships.
Stadium Renovation Details
To make football games feel more exciting, the playing field was lowered by 2.65 meters (8.7 feet). About 90,000 cubic meters (3.2 million cubic feet) of sand were dug out. The lower seating area was taken down and rebuilt with a steeper slope.
The roof was made bigger to cover 37,000 square meters (400,000 square feet). It has 20 columns that hold up 3,500 tons of steel. The roof rises 68 meters (223 feet) over the seats. It is made of clear panels that let sunlight in. The western part of the roof is open, so spectators can see the Bell Tower.
It was important to keep the stadium's historical look. The natural stone blocks were carefully preserved. After some discussion, the color of the athletics track was changed from red to blue. This matches the colors of the home team, Hertha BSC.
The renovations used a lot of materials: 70,000 cubic meters (2.5 million cubic feet) of concrete and 20,000 cubic meters (710,000 cubic feet) of pre-made concrete parts. Old concrete was removed, and 30,000 cubic meters (1.1 million cubic feet) of natural stone were restored.
The Olympiastadion also got new lighting and sound systems. It has 113 VIP areas, several restaurants, and two underground parking garages for 630 cars. The total cost of the renovation was €242 million.
Stadium Capacity
The new Olympic Stadium has the most all-seated capacity in Germany. It can permanently hold 74,475 people. The upper level has 31 rows of seats and holds 36,455 people. The lower level has 42 rows and holds 38,020 people.
For some football matches, like those between Hertha BSC and FC Bayern München, the stadium can hold even more people. This is done by adding temporary stands over the Marathon Arch. In 2014, the stadium could hold up to 76,197 people.
Other large stadiums in Germany, like Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund and Allianz Arena in Munich, have higher total capacities. However, these stadiums include standing areas. The Olympiastadion has more seats than these other stadiums.
Home Team: Hertha BSC
The Olympiastadion has been the home stadium for the 2. Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin since 1963. When the Bundesliga (Germany's top football league) was formed in 1963, Hertha BSC joined and moved from their old stadium to the Olympiastadion. Their first home match here was on August 24, 1963, against 1. FC Nürnberg, ending in a 1–1 draw.
In 1965, Hertha BSC was moved down to a lower league. But in 1968, Hertha returned to the top division and the Olympiastadion. In the late 1970s, Hertha BSC was very successful. They reached the semifinals of the UEFA Cup in 1979 and the finals of the German Cup twice.
In the 1980s, Hertha BSC struggled and even played in a lower amateur league in 1986. They moved to a smaller stadium for a while. But Hertha recovered and returned to the Olympiastadion in 1988. Other teams like Tasmania, Tennis Borussia, and Blau-Weiß 90 have also used the stadium when they played in the Bundesliga. 1. FC Union Berlin played some home matches here in 2021–22.
The Olympiastadion was not chosen to host matches for the UEFA Euro 1988 due to West Berlin's special status. Instead, it held a special tournament. The DFB-Pokal final has been held here permanently since 1985. The women's DFB-Pokal finals were also held here from 1985 to 2009.
After the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, there was a friendly match between Hertha and 1. FC Union Berlin from East Berlin. About 50,000 fans watched this game in January 1990. Hertha returned to the Bundesliga in 1990. Since 1997, the club has done well, playing in the UEFA Champions League against big European teams like Chelsea and A.C. Milan.
Major Events at the Stadium
The Olympiastadion once held the world record for the most people at a baseball game during the 1936 Olympics. Over 100,000 people were thought to be there.
The stadium hosted five American Bowl games between 1990 and 1994. It was also the home of the Berlin Thunder, an American football team, from 2003 until 2007.
The stadium also hosts the annual Internationales Stadionfest since 1937, a big athletics event. In 2009, the stadium hosted the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. Here, Usain Bolt broke the world records for the 100 metres and 200 metres races.
1936 Summer Olympics
On August 1, 1936, the Olympics officially began. Adolf Hitler opened the games, and the Olympic cauldron was lit by athlete Fritz Schilgen. Four million tickets were sold for all the events. This was the first Olympics to be shown on television and broadcast on radio in 28 languages.
The Olympic flame had been used before, but in Berlin 1936, a special torch relay was introduced. The torch traveled 3,000 km (1,864 miles) from Olympia in Greece, crossing six countries to reach Berlin. This idea came from Carl Diem, an advisor on Olympic matters. The Olympics were also featured in a propaganda film called Olympia (1938).
One of the most memorable events was the performance of Jesse Owens, an African-American athlete from the United States of America. Owens won four gold medals in running and jumping events. A street outside the stadium is now named Jesse Owens Allee to honor him. The stadium also hosted horse riding, football, and handball events.
1974 FIFA World Cup Matches
Three matches from Group A of the 1974 FIFA World Cup were played at the Olympiastadion. These included games with West Germany, Chile, East Germany, and Australia. The match between Australia and Chile was played in heavy rain. The host team, West Germany, went on to win the tournament.
| Date | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Attendance |
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| 14 June 1974 |  West Germany |
1–0 |  Chile |
First Round, Group A | 81,100 |
| 18 June 1974 |  East Germany |
1–1 | 28,300 | ||
| 22 June 1974 |  Australia |
0–0 | 17,400 |
2006 FIFA World Cup Matches
The Olympiastadion hosted several exciting matches during the 2006 FIFA World Cup:
| Date | Time (CEST) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
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| 13 June 2006 |
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 Brazil |
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 Croatia |
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72,000 |
| 15 June 2006 |
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 Sweden |
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 Paraguay |
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72,000 |
| 20 June 2006 |
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Germany |
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 Ecuador |
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72,000 |
| 23 June 2006 |
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 Ukraine |
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 Tunisia |
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72,000 |
| 30 June 2006 |
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Germany |
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 Argentina |
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72,000 |
| 9 July 2006 |
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 Italy |
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 France |
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69,000 |
2011 FIFA Women's World Cup
In 2011, the Olympiastadion hosted Germany's first match in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. This was the only game of the tournament played at the stadium.
| Date | Time (CEST) | Team #1 | Result | Team #2 | Round | Spectators |
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| 26 June 2011 |
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 Germany |
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.svg){kind=small} Canada |
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73,680 |
2015 UEFA Champions League Final
In May 2013, the Olympiastadion was chosen to host the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final. FC Barcelona won their fifth title and achieved a "treble" (winning three major trophies in one season).
| 6 June 2015 20:45 CEST |
Juventus |
1–3 |  Barcelona |
Olympiastadion, Berlin Attendance: 70,442 Referee: Cüneyt Çakır (Turkey) |
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Morata  55' |
https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2015/matches/round=2000552/match=2015227/index.html | Rakitić 4' Suárez 68'Neymar 90+7' |
2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games
On June 17, 2023, the opening ceremony of the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games was held at the Olympic Stadium. This event celebrates athletes with intellectual disabilities.
2024 UEFA European Football Championship Final
The Olympiastadion will host the final match of the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship on July 14, 2024.
Concerts
Many famous music artists have performed concerts at the Olympiastadion over the years.
Getting There: Transport Options
U-Bahn (Underground Train)
The U2 underground train line takes you directly to the Olympiastadion station. From there, it's a short walk to the stadium. It takes about 14 minutes from Zoologischer Garten and 24 minutes from Potsdamer Platz.
S-Bahn (Suburban Rail)
The S3 and S9 suburban rail lines also go directly to the Olympiastadion station. It's a quick walk to the stadium from there. Travel time is around 7 minutes from Spandau station and 14 minutes from Zoologischer Garten.
Bus
You can take bus lines M49 and 218 to the Flatowallee stop, which is a short walk to the stadium. Bus line 143 goes to the Neu-Westend underground station, from where you can walk or take the U-Bahn to the stadium.
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Olímpico de Berlín para niños
- Berlin
- Football in Berlin
- Sport in Berlin
Literature
- "Olympic Stadium Berlin" by Andreas Janowski. Published by Andreas Janowski Verlag under the label "sights-on-audio"
- 1936 Summer Olympics official report.: http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1936/1936v1sum.pdf: http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1936/1936v1sum.pdf Volume 1. pp. 141–9, 154–62.
