Munich Olympic Park Guided Tour

2022 - 50 years of the Munich Olympic Park – utopia come true

Rome, April 26, 1966, shortly after 6:00 pm. The nerves among the members of the German Olympic delegation, first and foremost Munich’s Lord Mayor Hans-Jochen Vogel and Willi Daume, head of the German National Olympic Committee are stretched to breaking point. Then the then IOC President Avery Brundage speaks the words that will change Munich’s future: “The Games are awarded to Munich”. Munich becomes the venue of the XX Summer Olympics 1972! With its motto “Green Games” and “short distance Games”, Munich wins against big cities such as Detroit, Montreal and Madrid.

The Spirit of ’72 – A message to the world

Just 30 years earlier, the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin had been instrumentalized by the National Socialists for their proganda. This was still in the memory of many people and it was now necessary to set examples: examples for a new – examples for a democratic Germany. The world would be the guest and accordingly the message should be: these will be the “cheerful games” in a cosmopolitan, hospitable, tolerant and lovable city. The best of the best set about implementing this message: Günter Behnisch as the architect responsible for the overall concept of the Olympic site, Frei Otto, who will make the ideas of a spectacular roofscape a reality, and finally Günther Grzimek, who will surround the architecture with a unique landscape design.

“They are all gone” – The Munich Massacre

Athletes from all over the world are enthusiastic about Munich as a host city. The overall appearance is almost a bit reminiscent of a giant folk festival. Even the security concepts have been scaled back; nothing is supposed to represent state power, certainly not policemen with guns or even machine guns. This makes it very easy for the Palestinian assassins who attack the Israelis’ quarters at 31 Connolly Street at dawn on September 5, 1972. The assassins get what they want, namely a big stage. For the first time, half the world is watching in front of the television sets as as disaster brews over Munich. The “dream of Munich” is finally shattered in the early morning hours of September 6, 1972, when it became clear that all 11 Israeli hostages were killed. It is also the fiftieth anniversary of the Munich hostage drama and therefore our tour is also dedicated to the memory of the 1972 victims.

Munich Olympic Park: becoming a UNESCO World Heritage…

Since 2013, the application for inclusion of the Olympic Park in the World Heritage List has taken one hurdle after the next, even though the Olympic Park would still be a very young World Heritage Site. However, the chances for the entire area, which has been under ensemble protection since 1998, are quite good because of its outstanding architectural and scenic appeal and its very special significance in terms of sports history. We from the  YourMunichTour team keep our fingers crossed in any case.

Olympic Park Munich – pure emotion!

If Munich really deserves more than one landmark, then there are definitely several here: the Olympic Tower, the Olympic Stadium or, better yet, the entire park. Come with us on an exciting and informative tour, during which we will visit both the southern side with the buildings of the Olympic grounds, as well as the side that lies north of the Mittlerer Ring. There you will find not only the striking buildings of the BMW company, but also the Olympic Village and the 1972 Olympic Assassination Memorial, newly built in 2017, all of which will also be part of this tour.

We look forward to seeing you!