Olympic Park & Olympic Tower

Olympiapark was the site of the 1972 Summer Olympics and, with its groundbreaking tent-roof architecture, remains one of the most architecturally significant sports complexes in the world. With the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Hall, Olympic Tower and the artificially created Olympiasee lake, the park is also one of Munich's most popular recreational areas.

History of Olympiapark

The park was built for the 1972 Summer Olympics, deliberately staged as a counterpoint to the 1936 Berlin Games overshadowed by Nazi propaganda - envisioned as "cheerful games" with open, transparent architecture. The distinctive, far-cantilevered tent roofs were designed by architect Günther Behnisch together with engineer Frei Otto; their lightweight, tent-like construction of steel cables and acrylic glass remains a milestone of modern engineering to this day. The Games were overshadowed by the Olympic massacre of September 5, 1972, in which members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage by a Palestinian terrorist group and killed; a memorial in the park commemorates the victims to this day. The artificial Olympiaberg hill consists largely of rubble from the Second World War, piled up and landscaped here after the war ended.

Olympic Stadium, Olympic Tower & Olympiasee

After the Games, the Olympic Stadium served for decades as the home ground of FC Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 Munich, before both clubs moved to the newly built Allianz Arena. The 291-meter Olympic Tower, completed in 1968 - even before the Games - offers sweeping views over Munich as far as the Alps from its observation deck. Around the Olympiasee lake, the expansive park grounds invite walks, bike rides and picnics; in summer, large open-air concerts are also regularly held on the grounds.

Visitor Tips & Getting There

Olympiapark is directly accessible via the Olympiazentrum U-Bahn station. For the climb up the Olympic Tower and stadium tours, current opening hours and prices should be checked online in advance, as offerings vary by season and events.

Nearby Attractions

Directly adjoining are BMW Welt and the BMW Museum with their striking architecture. The Olympia shopping center is also just a few minutes away from here.

Olympiapark Today: Sport, Concerts and Leisure

Even decades after the Olympic Games, Olympiapark has remained a lively events venue. In 2022, the grounds served as a central site for the European Championships, a major multi-sport event combining several European championships simultaneously, deliberately echoing the tradition of the 1972 Games. The Olympic swimming hall remains open to the public for swimming today, while the stadium roof is regularly used for guided climbing tours and zip-line experiences. In summer, international artists also perform concerts on the large Olympia lakeside stage and in the stadium itself, making the park one of the most important event venues in southern Germany.

Landscape Architecture Alongside the Tent Roof

While the tent-roof construction by Günther Behnisch and Frei Otto received the most international attention, the equally defining landscape design of the park was created by Günter Grzimek. He shaped the gently rolling hills, paths and water features around the sports venues so that nature and architecture merge into a single whole - a novel approach at the time, treating sports facilities not in isolation but as part of a continuous park landscape. This interplay of engineering and landscape planning remains influential for the design of major modern event venues today.

SEA LIFE and Further Leisure Attractions

On the edge of Olympiapark, a SEA LIFE aquarium has established itself as another family-friendly attraction, showcasing underwater worlds from around the globe and combining well with a walk through the park. Close by lies the former Olympic Village, which housed athletes during the 1972 Games and today is used largely as student housing - a still-visible, living legacy of the Olympic Games beyond the sports venues themselves.

Waldi: The First Official Olympic Mascot

The 1972 Games introduced "Waldi", a stylized, colorful dachshund, as the very first official mascot in the history of the Olympic Games - a Munich idea that has since become a fixed tradition at nearly every Olympics. The choice of a dachshund, a dog breed especially popular in Bavaria, was meant to convey humor and regional character, symbolizing the deliberately unpretentious, down-to-earth spirit of the Munich Games. To this day, Waldi remains a popular collector's item among Olympic enthusiasts.