Hertha Berlin (Olympiastadion)

Despite first being opened in 1936, the Olympiastadion Berlin is actually a very modern ground. Its bowl-like design is reminiscent of stadiums that were built far more recently, and its permanent capacity of 74,475 makes it the largest football stadium in the whole of Germany.

This is, in part, due to the fact that its most recent renovation came in 2004 when several vast improvements were made. The entire lower tier of seating was demolished and rebuilt, while a brand-new 223-foot roof was installed. It is for this reason that the ground really doesn’t feel like a stadium that was first opened almost 90 years ago.

Unusually, The ground’s North and South stands run adjacent to the pitch and are the larger sections of the stadium, while the East and West stands spearhead either end behind the goals.

It has been the home of Hertha Berlin since 1988, as well as for a 23-year spell between 1963 and 1986. While clubs such as Union Berlin have also called the ground home during various stages of their lifetime.

Nowadays, the Olympiastadion Berlin is a multi-purpose venue often used to host athletics events and features a running track that engulfs the pitch. Similarly to West Ham United’s London Stadium in England, this m means the crowd are sat much further away from the action than what is considered normal. As a result, the atmosphere at the ground can be disappointing at times.

Despite that, your experience at the stadium will likely be a positive one, with the combination of an incredible design, faultless cleanliness and top-rate hospitality leaving you wanting to visit again.

Generally speaking, the experience at the Olympiastadion Berlin is a positive one. Its sleek, modern design often amazes travelling fans who are perhaps expecting a more traditional stadium.

A stand-out feature of the ground that wows away fans is the gap located within the West stand, which provides a perfect view of the Berlin Bell Tower.

Away fans will usually be housed in the south-western section of the ground right next to the aforementioned gap in the stadium’s infrastructure. Despite the inconvenient running track at the facility, this section provides excellent views of the pitch.

Much like Britain, Germany has a rather famous drinking culture in which beer is embraced. As such, you will be in no shortage of options when it comes to picking a pub for some pre-match beers.

Some bars that are close to the stadium include Westend-Klause, which is less than a mile away from the ground and requires a mere 14-minute walk.

A second option is Wesrend-Pinte. This pub is a little further away, requiring a 30-minute walk between the establishment and the stadium, but after a few beers, that time will fly by.

In the last two years, the ground has undergone relatively substantial developments in order to be fully complicit with UEFA regulations.

These improvements have included modernising all entrances to the stadium, overhauling the sanitary areas as well as implementing several pieces of LED technology.

Less of a development and more of an achievement, the ground is also set to host a whopping six matches at the upcoming 2024 European Championships, hosted in Germany, and will also be the largest venue used.

The Olympiastadion Berlin, as we know it today, was originally built ahead of the 1936 Summer Olympics to be used as the hosting venue. It was the work of Werner March that brought the ground to life and saw the facility reportedly accommodate a crowd of over 100,000 for the games.

However, it wasn’t until almost 30 years later, that the stadium got its first taste of club-level football, when, in 1963, Hertha Berlin moved into the facility. It was the home of The Old Lady for 23 years until 1986, during which it was also used by various other Berlin-based sporting clubs.

Olympiastadion Berlin was then vacated for a two-year period before Hertha Berlin once again called the ground home which they have done ever since.

Other than its construction prior to the 1936 Olympics, the only other major renovations performed on the stadium came in 2004 – and they were major. All seats in the lower tier were demolished and rebuilt, while the roof was also extended to a height of 223 feet.

It is a ground with a history of hosting major events within the sport, including a handful of matches at the 1974 World Cup, 2006 World Cup, 2011 Women’s World Cup, 2015 Champions League Final as well as being a venue at the upcoming Euro 2024.

Once in Germany, the ground is relatively easy to get to. But, you can tackle the journey to the country in a multitude of ways.

By plane

If you are looking for the quickest, easiest and most reliable method of travel, then look no further. There are numerous airports within reasonable distance of the site, but the closest is Berlin Brandenburg Airport.

It is a little over 20 miles away from the Olympiastadion and this journey can be completed in less than an hour-and-a-half on the German public transport system.

By Car

From the United Kingdom, driving is also an option, although this method will require a travel time of just under 13 hours in the vast majority of cases. It will see you drive through France, Belgium and the Netherlands before crossing the border into Germany.

Car Parking

If choosing the driving option, there are plenty of parking facilities in and around the ground which should make the hassle of parking less stressful. The most obvious being the car park located within the Olympic Park. It is extremely close to the ground and requires a short 7-minute walk to the stadium.

Another option is of course the train, which has varying travel times depending on which route you take. The quickest of which will have you on the rails for just under 10 hours, while the longest causes that figure to rise upwards of 17 hours.

Once in Germany, the stadium is easily accessible via both the U-Bahn (Metro) and S-Bahn (Commuter rail). If taking the first option, then the U2 is likely to be your best and will take you to within 1km of the stadium. The same can be said for the S-Bahn too, although that will see you arrive even closer to the ground if you take the 59 train.

Given Hertha Berlin’s current second-division status, the club very rarely sell out the entire stadium and tickets can be picked up at a very reasonable price.

The cheapest of which starts at around €20 for seats in the upper tiers of the home section in the West stand, while the cheapest tickets in the South Stand begin at just under the €40 mark.

It is of course worth remembering that if Hertha were ever to once again become a Bundesliga side, these prices would likely skyrocket, especially for matches against the likes of Bayern Munich.

It may well be that from a ticket price perspective, now is the perfect time to visit the Olympiastadion Berlin.

Known as the Berlin derby in Germany, The Old Lady have a notoriously fierce local rivalry with Union Berlin.

Olympiastadion Berlin has played host to this wonderful spectacle on many occasions, but unfortunately, Hertha Berlin have not beaten their rivals on home turf since 2020.

Despite first being built in 1936, its renovation in 2004 means the Olympiastadion is an incredibly modern ground which has plenty of facilities to accommodate those requiring accessibility assistance.

Firstly, the official website for the stadium states that all entrances to the site are easily accessible for visitors – including those using a wheelchair.

Secondly, the entrances to all lower corridors in the ground, which is where the seats for wheelchair users are located, are barrier-free, ensuring that travel around the stadium is straightforward.

Finally, there are also numerous accessible toilets placed throughout the lower corridors, while the VIP sections also feature barrier-free entry.

The stadium has never been a football-specific facility and as such, its record attendance was instead set during the 1936 Olympics, which were hosted in Germany. At various stages throughout the games, Olympisstadion drew massive crowds, the largest believed to be over 100,000.

Nowadays, the average attendance at the ground is far more modest, yet still very impressive for a second-division side, 49,000.

Official club website: 

• https://www.herthabsc.com/en

As you would probably expect for a ground of this calibre, there are numerous stadium tour options on offer for interested fans. There are four main tours, which are priced for adults as follows:

• Highlights Tour – €15
• Premium Tour – €18
• Hertha BSC Tour – €18
• Light Experience Tour – €25

These tours are easy to book and can be accessed via the club’s official website.