Munich Olympic Stadium

Munich Olympic Stadium

Located at the heart of Munich’s Olympic Park, the Munich Olympic Stadium was the main venue for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Germany, renowned for its revolutionary tent-like roof structure. It has also hosted the finals of the 1974 FIFA World Cup and the 1988 UEFA European Championship, as well as three UEFA Champions League finals: Nottingham Forest vs. Malmö FF in 1979, Marseille vs. AC Milan in 1993, and Borussia Dortmund vs. Juventus in 1997.

The architectural team behind Munich Olympic Stadium was led by Stuttgart-based Günter Behnisch as the chief designer. Two-thirds of the stadium’s stands are built underground, with only one-third above ground, set against the backdrop of the winding Olympic Lake. The roof, designed by Frei Otto, features a semi-transparent, cone-shaped tent structure made of cable nets, with each grid measuring 75×75 cm. The cable-supported roof is covered with light gray-brown acrylic glass panels, secured in aluminum frames using neoprene gaskets to ensure ample, soft interior lighting. This design connects the pitch, stands, access routes, and the entire Olympic Park. Additionally, the Munich Olympic Stadium was one of the first stadiums in Germany to be equipped with an under-pitch heating system. A network of pipes totaling 18.95 km in length was installed 25 cm beneath the natural turf, enabling hot water circulation during cold weather to keep the grass green all year round.

Olympic Stadium (Munich)

Must-visit reason: One of Germany’s first stadiums with an under-pitch turf heating system

Continent: Europe

Country/Region: Germany

Province/State: Bavaria

City: Munich