Berlin
Olympic Stadium
Olympiastadion (reconstruction) - 75,000 capacity.
Originally built between 1934-36 and designed by architect
Werner March for the 1936 Olympic Games at a cost of 42 million
Reichsmark.
The German Cup Final has been played in the stadium since
1985, which was upgraded prior to hosting three games in the
1974 World Cup. Renovation work began in the summer of 2002,
with completion scheduled for 30 June 2004 with all 76,000
seats to be covered. The German Football Association has applied
to host the 2005 UEFA Champions League final in the stadium.
Total costs for the stadium are estimated at 242 million Euros.
Tours of the stadium are available on non-match days (2 Euros).
Tel: 030 25 00 23 22
www.olympiastadion-berlin.de
After World War II, the British military administration
used the building as its HQ and repair work continued until
German reunification in 1990. In 1998 the Berlin Senate
decided on a complete renovation of the stadium, but insisted
that the historical character of the structure be maintained.
The renovation took four years: the playing surface was
lowered 2.5 meters, the seats, changing rooms, press facilities
and interiors were modernized. A translucent roof was added
giving shelter from the elements. The structure is one of
real beauty and attracts a stream of visitors as one of
the sights of historical Berlin.
Getting
to Olympiastadion
The stadium is the home ground of Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga
and located on Bismarckstrasse in the western part of Berlin
in Charlottenburg.
Train: Olympiastadion station on the S5 line.
Underground: Olympiastadion station on the U2 line, 13 minutes
from the Hauptbahnhof to the Olympicstadion station (exit
the train on the left), then a 5-7 minute walk from the
station.
Bus: Number 154.
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