Germany Guide
Munich
The Olympiapark
Address: North of the centre (U-Bahn #3, stop Olympia-Zentrum)
Opening time: mid-April to mid-Oct daily 8.30am–8.30pm; mid-Oct to mid-April daily 9am–4.30pm
Price: €2
Built on the collected rubble from the bomb-devastated ruins of World War II and thus rising quite literally out of the ashes of the old Munich, the tent-like structures of the Olympiapark were supposed to set the seal on Munich's status as an international metropolis of the first rank. Certainly, Günther Behnisch's amorphous acrylic roofscapes look as fresh and futuristic today as they did in 1972, but the Munich Olympics are inevitably remembered for reasons other than their architecture or, indeed, the achievements of swimmer Mark Spitz or gymnast Olga Korbutt, all totally overshadowed by the murder of eleven members of the Israeli team.
Inevitably, the Olympiapark has to some extent the air of a place from which events have moved on, though on architectural grounds alone it's worth a visit, and there's usually something going on – the pool and ice rink keep things lively, and the Olympiahalle is the venue for concerts by big-name rock acts. You can visit the Olympiastadion itself, then ascend the 291m Olympiaturm TV tower (daily 9am– midnight; €4.50) for panoramic views over the Olympic complex, the city and beyond.