Olympic Stadium Berlin GmbH
About the Company
Development
Since 2004, Olympiastadion Berlin GmbH has been operating and marketing the Berlin Olympic Stadium. The State of Berlin has been the sole shareholder of the operating company since 2006. In December 1998, the Berlin Senate, in consultation with the then-owner, the federal government, decided to renovate and modernize the Olympic Stadium in accordance with historic preservation guidelines. The gmp planning consortium, consisting of the Hamburg-based architectural firm von Gerkan, Marg & Partner (gmp) and numerous technical consultants, won the idea competition held for this purpose in late 1998. Walter Bau AG won the investor competition that followed in 1999.
The renovation and modernization project by Walter Bau AG kicked off in August 2000 in the presence of German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, the then Governing Mayor of Berlin, Eberhard Diepgen, the then Senator for Urban Development, Peter Strieder, and Prof. Dr. Walter, the CEO of the construction company. The total construction costs of approximately €240 million are being borne primarily by the federal government.
Business Units
In addition to a wide variety of major events, the stadium hosts around 250 business and private events each year, offers a daily tourism program on days when no events are scheduled, and promotes itself as a film and photo location.
Major Events
The highlight of Berlin’s recent soccer history was UEFA EURO 2024, during which the Olympic Stadium in Berlin took center stage in the world of international soccer. But the 2006 FIFA Men’s World Cup also remains unforgettable: On July 9, Italy was crowned world champion at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Another milestone was the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which drew massive crowds to the vast stadium: On June 26, 2011, the Women’s World Cup kicked off at a sold-out Berlin Olympic Stadium, setting what was then a new European attendance record for women’s soccer.
Since 1963, the Berlin Olympic Stadium has also been the home of Hertha BSC, the capital’s historic soccer club. The stadium is thus not only the venue for major international tournaments, but also a central gathering place for Berlin soccer fans week after week. In addition to soccer, track and field is also part of the Berlin Olympic Stadium. The 2009 World Championships in Athletics, where Usain Bolt set two world records, are still remembered today. The annual ISTAF event is also very popular.
After its reopening, the Berlin Olympic Stadium also established itself as a major venue for large-scale concerts. In addition to German artists such as Helene Fischer, Udo Lindenberg, Herbert Grönemeyer, and, most recently, Die Toten Hosen, numerous international stars have also performed there. Highlights include U2, Madonna, Robbie Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, Depeche Mode, AC/DC, Linkin Park, the Rolling Stones, and Bruno Mars, among others.
On September 22, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated a solemn Mass at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin together with approximately 70,000 faithful. Four years later, in 2015, the UEFA Champions League final was held at the Olympic Stadium, where FC Barcelona defeated Juventus Turin 3–1. Since 1985, the prestigious stadium has also hosted the biggest sporting event on the German soccer calendar every year: the DFB Cup Final.
Business & Private Events
In addition to hosting major traditional events, Olympiastadion Berlin GmbH rents out individual rooms—as well as the entire stadium—to companies or individuals who wish to host an event. Behind the scenes of the historic Olympiastadion Berlin lie numerous spaces with many different character and facets.
The world’s only four-story atrium, the underground warm-up hall, and the Hall of Honor are just a few of the spaces that can be customized and used to suit your specific needs. Whether it’s a summer festival, birthday party, conference, car presentation, Christmas party, or employee incentive event in the athletes’ locker room—(almost) anything is possible.
Tourism
Since its reopening in 2004, the Olympic Stadium in Berlin has once again been open to tourists from all over the world.
On August 1, 2011, after approximately four months of renovation work, the new visitor center at the East Gate was opened. Along with the opening of the new visitor center, the equally new visitor concept is now being implemented. From now on, the entire Berlin Olympic Park is open to visitors.
You can explore the Berlin Olympic Stadium and the Olympic Park on your own or take one of the various guided tours.
One of the highlights is the Hertha BSC Tour. The tour begins with a behind-the-scenes look: visitors get to see the VIP areas and, of course, the Hertha locker room. The technical tour, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a 5-star stadium, is also very popular.
For more information, select the menu item “Guided Tours.”
Film & Photo Locations
It’s not just event attendees who have discovered the Berlin Olympic Stadium as a great location. Countless stairwells, a two-story underground parking garage, state-of-the-art prison cells, endless hallways, and exclusive, high-end VIP areas—the Olympic Stadium offers all this and much more. So it’s no wonder that the film and photography industries regularly come to the stadium to shoot. A large number of commercials, feature films, and movies have already been filmed on the stadium grounds, and photo shoots for global campaigns have been held there. Most recently, some of the interior areas served as the backdrop for the sequel *Don 2*, starring Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan.
Behind behind the scenes
Behind the Berlin Olympic Stadium stands a team that works every day with passion, reliability, and a great deal of dedication to make moments—both big and small—possible. What unites us is not just the place where we work— —but how we shape it together.
