City Information

Berlin with its origins in the 12th Century is one of Europe’s younger cities. Its first documented mention was in 1244, but in 1830, the great town center fire damaged most written records of those early days.

Today, it is a city loaded with history. After the reunification of the two parts of Germany in 1990, it became a place where East met West and that difference is still visible in its structure. For example the street-car (Straßenbahn) lines can generally be found in the old ‘East Berlin’ while in the western part, with over 30 years of divided history, they have been gradually replaced by buses. The architecture of the two parts is markedly different. In the former East Berlin the many Plattenbauten stand testimony to the ambitions of the Eastern Bloc to create complete residential areas with fixed ratios of shops, kindergartens and schools. Another difference between former east and west is in the design of little red and green men on pedestrian crossing lights (Ampelmännchen in German); the eastern versions received an opt-out during the standardization of road traffic signs after re-unification, and survived to become a popular icon in tourist products.

Its most well known site is of course the Berlin Wall - a reminder of the Cold War in Europe While not much is left of the actual Wall, it is possible to see a portion of it in the East Side Gallery, in Friedrichshain, where it has been preserved.

Berlin’s numerous cultural attractions include the Museums Island, the Old National Gallery and Bode Museum, The Cultural Forum and the Egyptian Museum. It also has countless Palaces and Residences of the Prussian princes and kings. Berlin is almost synonymous with music and it offers excellent opportunities to experience the Berlin Philharmonic and other renowned orchestras from around the world.

It is certainly one of the best cities to visit in summer. Located close to countless lakes and canals it creates it offers numerous opportunities for outdoor activities. A boat tour starting in Potsdam and ending in the Government quarter right in the center of Berlin is very popular. If you look around Berlin don’t forget to walk through its landmark – the Brandenburg Gate. You can also climb to the top of the glass copula of the Reichstag (the old name for the German Parliament) or visit the futuristic Potsdamer Platz which has been rebuilt from scratch in the last ten years. A great attraction for the small and big visitors to Berlin is also the two Zoos and the Aquarium. And finally, for a quiet relaxing day - Berlin offers also countless street cafes, restaurants, shops and boutiques that are second to none.

The Stadium

The Olympiastadion was originally built during 1934-36 and hosted in the Olympic Games in 1936.

It has been the venue for the German Cup finals since 1985.

Seen as one of the main stadiums for the World Cup 2006, the Olympiastadion has already held three World Cup matches during the 1974 tournament. In 2000, the renovation for the stadium began.

The stadium can hold over 74,000 people, but has a capacity of holding 66,021 in an all seater event. For the World Cup, the highest number of seats that will be sold is 56,358, which is for the first round. It is also going to be hosting the Quarter finals as well as Finals.

Construction for the stadium was reported near 200 million euros.