Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WORTH A DETOUR
OLYMPIASTADION & AROUND
030-2500 2322;
www.olympiastadion-berlin.de
;
Olympischer Platz 3; self-guided tour adult/concession €7/5,
guided general tour €10/8, Hertha BSC tour €11/9; 9am-8pm Jun-mid-Sep, 9am-7pm mid-Sep-Oct &
late Mar-May, 10am-4pm winter; Olympiastadion)
. Even though it was put through a total
modernisation for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, it's hard to ignore the fact that this
massive coliseum-like stadium was built by the Nazis for the 1936 Olympic Games.
The bombastic bulk of the structure remains but has been softened by the addition of
a spidery oval roof, snazzy VIP boxes and top-notch sound, lighting and projection
systems. It seats up to 74,650 people for games played by the local Hertha BSC soc-
cer team, concerts, the Pope or Madonna. On nonevent days, you can explore the sta-
dium on your own, although renting a multilingual audioguide is recommended (€3).
Several times daily, guided tours (some in English, phone ahead) take you into the
locker rooms, warm-up areas and VIP areas that are otherwise off limits. Access the
stadium from the Osttor (eastern gate).
To truly appreciate the grandeur of the stadium, head west past the Maifeld parade
grounds to the outdoor viewing platform of the 77m-high
Glockenturm
(Bell Tower;
GOOGLE MAP
;
030-305 8123;
www.glockenturm.de
; Am Glockenturm; adult/concession €4/2;
9am-6pm Apr-Oct ; Pichelsberg)
, which was also built for the 1936 Olympics. En route
you'll pass a replica of the Olympic bell (the damaged original is displayed south of the
stadium). In the foyer, an exhibit chronicles the ground's history, including the 1936
games, with panels in German and English. A documentary features rare original foot-
age.
030-304 2144;
www.georg-kolbe-museum.de
;
Sensburger Allee 25; adult/concession €5/3; 10am-6pm
Tue-Sun; Heerstrasse)
, dedicated to one of Germany's most influential early-20th-cen-
tury sculptors. A member of the Berlin Secession, Kolbe eschewed traditional sculp-
ture and focused on depicting the idealised nude. His studio and home, built in the
late 1920s and consisting of two rectangular brick buildings flanking a sculpture
garden, now present works from all phases of his life alongside changing exhibits. The
museum cafe, Cafe K, is one of the most charming in Berlin.
About 2km southeast of the stadium, overlooking the trade-fair grounds, looms an-
030-3038
1905;
www.funkturm-messeberlin.de
;
Messedamm 22; adult/concession €5/2.80;
platform 10am-8pm
Messe Nord/ICC)
. The filigree struc-
Mon, 10am-11pm Tue-Sun, weather permitting;
Kaiserdamm,
