Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
AN AVIATION LEGEND: TEMPELHOF AIRPORT
In Berlin history, Tempelhof Airport is a site of legend. British architect Norman Foster
even called it 'the mother of all airports'. It was here in 1909 that aviation pioneer Or-
ville Wright ran his first flight experiments, managing to keep his homemade flying
machine in the air for a full minute. The first Zeppelin landed the same year and in
1926 Lufthansa's first scheduled flight left here for Zurich. The Nazis held massive ral-
lies on the airfield and enlarged the smallish terminal into a massive semicircular
compound that measures 1.23km from one end to the other. Designed by Ernst Sage-
biel, it was constructed in only two years and is still one of the world's largest freest-
anding buildings. Despite its monumentalism, Sagebiel managed to inject some
pleasing design features, especially in the grand art-deco-style departure hall.
After the war, the US Armed Forces took over the airport and expanded its facilities,
installing a power plant, bowling alley and basketball court. In 1948-49 the airport
saw its finest hours during the Berlin Airlift.(
Click here
)
After Tegel Airport opened in
1975, passenger volume declined, and flight operations stopped in 2008 after much
brouhaha and (initially) against the wishes of many Berliners. That sentiment
030-2801 8162;
www.tempelhoferfreiheit.de
; enter via Oderstrasse, Tempelhofer Damm or Columbi-
adamm; sunrise to sunset; Paradestrasse, Boddinstrasse, Leinestrasse)
, a wonderfully noncom-
mercial, creative open-sky space where cyclists, bladers and kitesurfers whisk along
the tarmac. Fun zones include the Luftgarten beer garden near Columbiadamm, bar-
becue areas, dog parks, an artsy minigolf course, art installations, abandoned aero-
planes and an urban gardening project.
In fact, this vast, untamed urban playground has by now become so intensely be-
loved by Berliners that plans by the city to build thousands of apartments, offices and
a central library along its perimeter were thwarted in a referendum held in May 2014.
The airport building hosts special events such as music festivals and trade fairs like
030-200 037
441;
www.tempelhoferfreiheit.de
; Platz der Luftbrücke; tours adult/concession €13/9;
4pm Mon-Fri, 1pm
Platz der Luftbrücke)
of both airport and airfield are available.
Fri, 11am & 2pm Sat & Sun;
EATING
Kreuzberg has become one of Berlin's most exciting foodie districts, with
some of the best eating done in comfy neighbourhood restos, ethnic eateries
