Berlin Olympic Stadium

The Berlin Olympic Stadium in the Westend district was built between 1934 and 1936 to designs by Werner March as the central venue of the XI Summer Olympics, and is one of the few preserved large structures of the Nazi period. The 1936 Games were instrumentalised by the regime; African-American athlete Jesse Owens famously won four gold medals here and was denied a handshake by Hitler. After war damage and patch-up work, the stadium was thoroughly rebuilt between 2000 and 2004 by GMP Architects, gaining a new roof and an exposed lower bowl. Today it is the home ground of Hertha BSC, host of the German Cup final and major concerts. Visitors can tour the complex daily, with views of the Marathon Gate and the Bell Tower.