TEMPELHOFER FELD

Built in 1923 and then redeveloped under the Third Reich by the architect Ernst Sagebiel to support the war effort through the establishment of prison camps, Tempelhof Airport was at the time of its construction the largest airport in the world with its 284,000 m². It is best known for having been the air base for Allied aircraft in 1948 and 1949. The blockade of Berlin by the Soviets made it famous with the air bridge established by the Americans and the British. It was here that tanker planes were able to drop off precious supplies to supply West Berlin. Tempelhof, which was one of Europe's first airports, ceased all air traffic in 2008. Fewer and fewer flights were being operated as airlines preferred the alternatives of Tegel and Schönefeld. Since 2010, it has regained a second youth by becoming a huge urban park where the all-Berlin is rushing at the first rays of sunshine. Here, you swing between lawns and runways in an area even larger than Central Park! It's a magical and unique place, typically Berlin and appreciated by everyone regardless of age or social class. The locals have quietly appropriated the place. Here, we come across a shared vegetable garden; there, it's a mini-golf imagined by crazy artists, or the old arrivals hall, transformed into an exhibition space. We'll even see an old US Air Force plane! Picnic, barbecue or Frisbee party, all occasions are good to get together and share a moment. The tracks have also become the playground for bikes, rollerblades or other longboards. In 2014, Berliners have defended their park. The town hall had planned a real estate project to build a library and housing on the periphery of the park. On May 25, 2014, a local referendum rejected this proposal, which implied privatizing this large "urban meadow". Tempelhof will remain as it is. Due to its history and the attachment of Berliners, the park is likely to remain a symbol of the city. With the migration crisis, hundreds of refugees have also been accommodated in emergency reception centres on the airport site.

If you would like to see the inside of the old airport, guided tours are available. Also consider taking a look at the Airlift Memorial at the entrance to the airport. It symbolizes the three air corridors that linked Berlin to West Germany.