Nowhere in Germany is the concentration of German flags stronger than on Berlin’s Fanmeile ( Fan Mile). Open only for special occasions (such as the World Cup and UEFA Europameister), national pride makes a rare appearance in Germany’s largest fan zone.
Hundreds of thousands of fans (an estimated 500,000) show up regularly for the biggest games. It’s a joyous, crowded, chaotic, delusional good time. But there are a few things you need to understand before showing up with your noisemakers, face paint, and flags. Here’s everything you need to know about the Berlin Fan Mile for the 2016 European Championships.
Where is the fan mile?
Red, black and gold stretch as far as the eye can see, over a mile, in Berlin’s Tiergarten on historic Straße des 17. Juni . With a giant 80-square-meter screen in front of the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate), six more XXL screens dot the nearly two kilometers towards Siegessäule (Victory Tower) and broadcast the games taking place in France live. There is also a main stage in the Tor where performances take place before and after the games.
Berlin Fan Mile Tickets :
- Straße des 17. Juni – between Yitzhak-Rabin-Straße and Großer Stern
- Yitzhak-Rabin-Straße – on John-Foster Dulles Allee
- Brandenburg Gate 1 – Ebertstraße from the direction of Dorotheenstraße, on Simsonweg
- Brandenburg Gate 2 – Ebertstraße from the direction of Behrenstraße, in Ahornsteig
Note that the street is understandably closed to traffic as people crowd the roads. This includes adjacent streets and may close nearby transport stops like S-Bahn Brandenburger Tor and U- and S-Bahn Potsdamer Platz due to overcrowding. If you arrive within an hour of the game (many people freak out early to ensure the best position) consider walking from the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) or the Friedrichstrasse, Bellevue, Bundestag and Tiergarten stations. You can also approach from behind by getting off the many buses that stop at Siegessäule.
What games are shown on Fan Mile?
If the German national team is playing in one of the major tournaments, the Fan Mile is sure to explode. For the Europameister 2016, Germany will play in:
- June 12 – Germany v. Ukraine 21:00
- June 16 – Germany v. Poland 21:00
- June 21 – Germany v. Northern Ireland 18:00
Thumbs to get them to at least the second round and until the quarterfinals, semi-finals and final on July 10. They have done it before (winning in 1972, 1980, 1996). From the round of 16, all matches will be shown on the Fan Mile.
Things to know before visiting Fan Mile
This public viewing site is so popular that it often maximizes its capacity and may be closed hours before the game (as it was for the 2014 World Cup Finals between Germany and Argentina). There are no seats, so people stand for hours before (with eager anticipation), during (carried away by cheers from the crowd), and after (hopefully in a wild celebration). Make sure you are up to the challenge.
And the area is not only closed to road traffic, but fences are put up throughout the Tiergarten to block unauthorized entry. Thorough security checks slow down entry and restrict prohibited items. So what is not allowed?
Prohibited items :
- Alcoholic drinks
- Glass bottles
- Anything that can be used as a weapon (sharp and pointed objects)
- Bulky items like ladders, stools, folding chairs, large bags, etc.
- Fireworks, sparklers, or other pyrotechnics
- Flag or banner poles of more than 1 meter or whose diameter is greater than 3 centimeters
- Mechanical devices that make noise, such as megaphones (although clappers are perfectly fine)
- Animals
- Laser pointer
Most of these are completely understandable. Nothing has to add to the chaos already present within the Fan Mile.
Kids
Another thing to keep in mind is that while there is no rule regarding the age limit, this is not the best environment for babies and toddlers. The crowds are intense, the noise level is very high, and small bodies and ears may not be up to the challenge. There are many other places within the city that are better suited to families.
Beer
If you feel “What is football without beer ?! ‘, Don’t worry about the restriction against alcohol consumption. There are many places to buy food and drinks (as well as non-alcoholic options) within the venue. It is estimated that only 400,000 liters of beer are consumed on the Fan Mile. People also sell beers from stations to entry points. Be aware of the giant stacks of bottles left outside the doors.
Toilets
There are hundreds of portable toilets available for your use, but some people prefer to use the many accessible trees in the Tiergarten. Please do not do that. There have been problems in previous years with a lack of toilets (referred to by management as the Pinkelproblem or ‘pee’ problem), but wanting to avoid that mistake, they promised to provide more toilets than ever this year.
Weather
If rains ? It’s raining. And the party continues. A break may be requested in a heavy storm or in the event of lightning, but the show will continue. Doge the raindrops under the trees and then get back in front of the screen for action.
Safety
Although violent crime is rare in Germany (even with the drunken energy that accompanies these events), Berlin’s Fan Mile is a haven for pickpockets. Protect your valuables by leaving something irreplaceable in your home or hotel. Valuables must be carried in a bag or backpack on the front of the body or under the arm. Bauchtasche (fanny packs or fanny packs if you’re British) never lost his place in the Berlin fashion and can be worn with pride.
