8 things to do in Tempelhofer Feld
Thousands of people sit on the grass, events, planned and impromptu, appear on the giant field and old terminals, and swarms of wheeled vehicles roll down the track. Wait … hint ?
It’s okay! This former airport turned massive park is one of the most popular meeting places in Berlin. Formally titled Tempelhofer Field or Tempelhofer Freiheit , it is more commonly called Tempelhof Park or simply Tempelhof. Situated between the Neukölln and Tempelhof neighborhoods, it is just south of the city center.
Once the site of the historic Berlin Airlift, it became a listed building in 1995 and was abandoned after it closed in October 2008. Should it be converted to low-income housing, luxury buildings, or maybe left like a massive park? ? Somehow, the referendum to leave it as a park won and the site is now the largest urban park in Berlin.
- Entrance : Free
- Address : 12099 Berlin
- Park map : http://www.tempelhoferfreiheit.de/en/visit/map-and-route/
- Opening hours : The exact opening hours are set according to the seasons. Generally, the park is open every day from sunrise to sunset.
- Public transport : S41, S42, S46, S47 S-Bahn Tempelhof station; U6 U-Bahn station Tempelhof or Paradestraße; U7 U-Bahn station Südstern; U8 U-Bahn station Hermannplatz, Leinestraße, Boddinstraße; Bus 104 to the Friedhöfe Columbiadamm or Golßener Straße bus stop.
Take a tour
The airport-turned-park is one of the most fascinating places in Berlin’s history, which is saying something.
Tempelhof was built on the site of a smaller airport that was once used to test some of the world’s first aircraft such as airships and balloons. The Humboldt balloon was launched from here on March 1, 1893.
Tempelhof Airport was developed by the Nazis between 1936 and 1941. It was meant to impress with long windows that let light into its huge rooms. However, it was never completed as they had to focus on the war effort.
He was liberated by the Red Army in 1945 and handed over to the United States. The airport remained in use, but only partially. The Americans occupied Tempelhof from 1945 to 1993.
But its most emblematic moment was in June 1948, when the Soviet authorities stopped all traffic to the western sectors of Berlin, hoping to gain full control of the area. This meant that the only way to meet the needs of West Berliners was by using three air corridors throughout the Soviet zone. For almost an entire year, all supplies for 2.5 million residents had to be delivered by air. And they did so with more than 200,000 flights delivering almost 9,000 tons of fuel and food. On May 12, 1949, the USSR lifted the blockade of West Berlin. The Berlin airlift was one of the major international crises of the Cold War.
Despite this historic event, the airport never reached its full use. It was used as a warehouse, race track and miscellaneous hall. It was still used for private air traffic, but it was underused.
The decision of what to do with the airport was controversial, but in May 2014 a majority of voters chose to keep Tempelhof open as a park. It will remain as such until at least 2024.
Today the airport is owned by the city of Berlin. It is one of the best remaining examples of Nazi architecture in Berlin. Discovering its fascinating history on a guided tour of the gardens or the remaining buildings.
Riding the track
There is something wonderfully surreal about walking the airport runway. It still evokes the feeling of a slightly verboten activity, even with the masses of other visitors.
Better than walking through the massive expanse of the park is cycling through them. Even a novice rider will relish the opportunity to speed along the ruined asphalt. This is also the perfect setting for kids to learn to ride, so watch out for beginner riders shakily trudging along the dotted line.
Expect to find more than your average city bike or fixie in Tempelhof. Vehicles of all kinds roll along the tracks from unicycles to segweys to land windsurfing or ‘street sailing’.
Party with friends
There are few things locals like to do more than get together and have a grill party. Whether it’s just you and a friend or a family clan of over 20, Templehof offers plenty of room to spread out.
Grilling in city parks is increasingly limited, but there are three designated areas in Templelhof.
See the views
This open space is an attraction in itself, but from its vast landscape, visitors can also enjoy stunning views of the Fernsehturm and the surrounding city landscape in the distance.
On the ground, look for signs of the site’s interesting past such as German eagles on numerous buildings.
Participate in events and festivals
On any random day, you can find a pop and lock competition, Hipster Olympics, or an entire festival or concert. Imagine partying on a historic airfield with up to 20,000 partiers.
Bring a furry friend
While Berlin’s parks are plentiful, there’s nothing like finding a place to run in the city. If you bring a dog, they can enjoy spinning and rolling on the green. Dogs are welcome throughout the park on a leash, and there are three large dog races where they can run free
Support Refugees
Among the many uses of the park, one of the most important is its current mission as a refugee camp. This is the largest refugee shelter in Germany with space for up to 7,000 migrants.
The rooms are small, but offer services like Wi-Fi and a fairly safe space for families new to Germany. The government is working to secure better homes for the refugees, but while they are here they have a voice in how it is handled.
Get involved in the Tempelhof park
The park is not just a place to observe, you can get involved in community gardens or propose a new project.
The projects seek to increase the usefulness of the site to the community with a watchful eye from the government. Find a complete list of current and future projects here: gruen-berlin.de.
