Berlin’s Tempelhofer Feld opened to the public after the airport closed. Its runways and grassland now accommodate exercise, rest, community activities, and nature conservation.
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Bicycles pass along the long runway in place of aircraft. Berlin's Tempelhofer Feld opened its former airfield to the public after the airport closed. Wide paved surfaces and grassland were retained for walking, running, and wheeled activities. Paths much longer and wider than a typical park walkway reveal what this land once did.
Flights at Tempelhof Airport ended in 2008, and the airfield opened to the public in 2010. Its operator describes more than 300 hectares of recreation space. The terminal building and the open field offer different experiences: an exhibition or event inside the terminal is a different visit from a bicycle ride on the runway.
The pavement stretches far into the distance. Photographs show old markings, neighboring grassland, and people moving across them. Converting the site into a park did not remove all traces of its past. The width and length once needed by aircraft now give walkers and cyclists a long, straight route.
There are quieter activities, too. Alongside walking and skating, the operator lists picnics, gardening, and birdwatching. The open land has not been assigned to a single sport. People sit on the grass beside those moving along the paths, and community gardening has a place here.
Open space does not mean unrestricted use everywhere. The site is also a refuge for rare animals and protected plants. Its nature guidance includes areas protecting skylarks. Places for people to move freely sit alongside areas where access needs to be limited.
The airport's history remains present. The operator describes a history trail developed since 2015. The site is connected not only with the airlift during the Berlin Blockade, but also with forced labor and concentration camps during the Nazi period. Enjoying the open landscape can go together with learning what happened here.
Turning an airport into a park need not mean remaking its entire appearance. Here, the airfield's expanse and pavement serve new activities. With the terminal in the distance, people run or walk along the runway. The markings remain underfoot; the speed and purpose of movement have changed.
Photo Caption: Tempelhofer Feld's old eastern runway, 2015.
Image source/terms of use: Orderinchaos / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tempelhof_E_runway_1.jpg
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Image changes: resized with the aspect ratio preserved and converted to WebP.
Sources and editorial notes
Grün Berlin · About Tempelhofer Feld · Operating organization Official text
Berlin.de · Tempelhof Airport · Runway and terminal description
Editorial note: Factual statements are based on the sources above; interpretations reflect MUADAILY's editorial perspective. Image: Orderinchaos / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0.
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