One of the most storied airports of all time, Berlin Tempelhof Airport is brimming with history.
The airport site was once Knights Templar land in medieval Berlin, and from this beginning came the Tempelhof name. The airport officially opened on in October 1923 and was the birthplace of Deutsche Luft Hansa, today Lufthansa, in 1926.
Hitler had grand plans for the airport, envisioning Berlin Tempelhof as the gateway to Europe in post-war, Nazi-run world and a symbol of Germania, the world capital that would be in situated in a renewed Berlin . To that end, the Nazi government began a massive reconstruction project in the mid-1930s. By war’s end, Berlin Tempelfof was (and remains) one of the largest buildings in the world.
In June 1948 the Soviets halted all traffic by land and by water into or out of the western-controlled section of Berlin. That meant the only remaining access routes into West Berlin were three 25 mile-wide air corridors across the Soviet-occupied zone of Germany. Faced with either abandoning the city or attempting to supply its inhabitants with vital necessities by air, the Western Powers chose the latter course, and for the next eleven months sustained the city’s 2½ million residents in one of the greatest feats in aviation history, the Berlin Airlift.
Tempelhof served as an important commercial hub and military hub until it was closed in 2008, paving the way for Schönfield Airport to become Berlin’s one and only airport. Tempelhof has since been turned into a public park, though the tarmac and runway remain, making it plausible (though extremely unlikely) the airport might be used again for what it was designed for.
Hunter and I had a chance to explore Tempelhof Airport earlier this year during our trip to Berlin. While a sign on the entrance to the terminal area as well as the Airport Authority’s website indicates public tours take place on Saturdays and Sundays, Hunter and I showed up at the designated time and found no one there.
So we did the next best thing–walked around the perimeter of the property. I really wanted to see the classic terminal from the inside, but that will have to wait for another trip to Berlin. Enjoy the exterior photo tour:
Schoenefeld Airport isn’t the only airport in Berlin. You forget Tegel, which is the hub for Air Berlin and a focus airport for Lufthansa. I have fond memories of flying Pan Am out of Tegel, which is expected to close in 2012 when Berlin-Brandenburg “Willy Brandt” Airport opens.
“FLUGHAFEN!” (I just like to say that WITH EMPHASIS to Americans who don’t know German… and then watch their faces.)
@Les-Thanks for your comment, but I did not forget Tegel. I’ve flown Lufthansa ex-TXL before, but as Hunter (and you yourself) shared yesterday, it too will be closed as Schönfield becomes the international hub in Berlin.
http://upgrd.com/hunter/berlin-as-seen-from-the-courtyard-by-marriott.html
Just like you, I have explored Tempelhof from the outside, peering in to various windows. It is remarkable how gargantuan the building is. Many parts of it look as if a neutron bomb can gone off – with everything remaining just as it must have been when the last flight took off. There are still baggage caroussels in the arrival area, and some ticket counter – that don’t look much different that what you’d see today.
Then on my most recent visit to Berlin I saw that there was a neighborhood open house to get neighborhood reaction to three park design proposals, and the open house was being held in one of the former gate areas. Of course I changed my plans that day, and both viewed the park plans and the gate halls – and we were also permitted to walk onto the ramp.
It was very cool. Many of the interior areas of Tempelhof are still in excellent condition – and remarkably clean for a disused building. I was also able to sneak into the main arrivals hall for a few minutes until a security guard shoo’ed me away.
The airport was clearly designed and built before jetways came into being. But the concept was that the nose of the plane, including passenger stairs, would come under a covered roof area, so passengers could embark and disembark without getting wet. It looks to me like it was big enough to have perhaps 20 aircraft parked and performing their boarding all under this one roof – which was entirely cantilevered – not a single support column. It was a massive space – but you could easily imagine an international flight being boarded here. The area behind was divided up into departure lounges – gates, I guess.
The three park plans all feature common elements. The runways and taxiways remain, and both active and passive park elements are created in the other areas, and some new residential neighborhoods are created in the corners of the space. Creating the new residential neighborhoods probably precludes the airport from ever functioning as an airport again.
In all the plans, the existing Tempelhof building was shown intact, but it was not possible to determine what renovations or uses were planned – the focus was on the park. I do hope that the buildings are preserved and used in some creative ways.
I’ve never been here (or in Germany proper as a matter of fact), but I am a lover of fine architecture or architecture that shows how great and/or proud it once was. It’s too bad that this has to happen… the old has to make way for the new… and I actually feel bad that this fine building is no longer in use for the reason it was built. To some, “It’s just an airport!”, but to me… it’s a stately old gentleman standing with his arm outstretched with a “Welcome my friends” handshake. There are, of course, many other buildings which are scattered here and there and all over the world. It’s a shame that we can’t save them all, well, most of them anyway. People were proud of the work that they did back then. They were a part of the building… the bridge… the statue… the dam… or the road! While some of those same men and women are still around and still think that way (as are a few others who were taught by their parents and grandparents what the word P R I D E actually meant… and still means). Sadly, in today’s “hurry-up” world this is seldom, if ever, part of the job anymore. I say that’s a damned shame! I also don’t think that the world, as a whole, wants to fix that problem… and I’d really like a logical answer as to why that type of thinking is now prevalent… and for some reason, preferred!