Munich 72 Trail

The circular route starts at the foundation stone of the Olympic site from July 14, 1969, at Hans-Jochen-Vogel-Platz (formerly Coubertinplatz). Behind it is the grandstand with the medal winners of the 1972 Olympic Games. Here, in the center of the Olympiapark, you can first take in this backdrop.

Then it starts. To the left towards the Olympic lake, up the small hill, along the Olympiastadion. From here you can already catch a first glimpse into the stadium and maybe watch a tent roof tour with Flying Fox. Further on, keep left over the bridge, up the Martin-Luther-King Way to the viewpoint of the Olympiaberg. A short break with a magnificent view is recommended. From here you overlook the Olympiapark to the Olympic village and the BMW grounds. To the south stretches all of Munich with some well-known church spires. And if the weather is right, you can often see the wonderful Alps. What a view! If you look closely, to the west you can also spot Nymphenburg Palace and the Borstei residential complex. These are all stations that the Munich 72 Trail also leads to.

After this first highlight, turn right, down the small switchbacks of the hill, to the Rudolf-Harbig Way and reach a large gravel area. After the approval for the Olympic Games, the Olympiastadion was supposed to be built here. Since a hermit and his wife had lived there since 1952 in a self-built house with a small church and Munich citizens protested for its preservation, the Olympic site was moved a little to the north. The church now called East-West Peace Church and the house can be visited. Every summer the Tollwood Festival takes place here.

On the left, around the East-West Peace Church, behind the dog school, is a small passage. The trail leaves the Olympiapark for a while and leads to further venues of the 1972 Olympic Games. Along Hedwig-Dransfeld Avenue, over Dachauer Street, it goes to Heideck Street. Past nice houses, follow the street to the right to a pedestrian bridge that leads over the Mittlerer Ring.

Arriving at Breganza Street, you are directly in the Nymphenburg district. The rather noble, formerly aristocratic charm is felt immediately. From Breganza Street, it goes left past Christ Church over Dom-Pedro Square. Then right onto St. Galler Street to the Northern Access Avenue. The Hubertus Fountain marks the beginning of the Nymphenburg Canal. From here, continue to the palace, past impressive architecturally valuable houses as well as some stylish boutiques. You also find nice restaurants and a long-established confectionery inviting for a short break for coffee and cake. Further, you can stroll leisurely along the canal and observe the stately carp and many ducks and swans. If you are sporty, you go a bit faster, as the athletes did during the 20-km racewalk in 1972 from the Olympiastadion to Nymphenburg Palace. The best time was 1h 26min.

- Maybe take it a bit more leisurely then. -

Arriving at Nymphenburg Palace, you can enjoy the beautiful ambiance, rest on a bench, or take a break in the palace café. In 1972, the dressage riding at the Olympic Games took place here. The statues in the garden were removed and grandstands were set up on the left and right. West Germany won gold and bronze in the individual and silver in the team.

Those who want to explore the palace park more closely can mark stage 4 of the Munich Trail and discover the Pagoda and Amalienburg there. The trail leaves the palace park on the left side and leads back toward the Olympiapark, with the Olympiaturm as a constant companion and guide. Past the palace roundabout to the Northern Access Avenue, crossing Menzinger Street and following it to the left. After a few meters, it goes over the Nymphenburg-Biederstein Canal and follows it to the right on a bicycle and pedestrian path. Here you are away from loud traffic and can enjoy the quiet. Follow Kuglmüller Street to Nederlinger Square and turn left behind it. From here slightly right into Sadeler Street. Another fleeting glance at the Olympiaturm and further to the North-West allotment garden, the first and oldest garden area in Munich. Here is also a small tavern with a cozy atmosphere. At the end of the allotment garden, turn right into Baldur Street. On the left is the West Cemetery, worth a short visit.

At the intersection of Baldur and Dante Street are some nice restaurants as well as the entrance to Dantestadion. Here athletes warmed up during the 1972 Olympic Games. Until the Olympiastadion was built, Dantestadion was the only large sports facility in Munich. Today the American football teams Munich Cowboys and Munich Rangers train here.

The trail follows Baldur Street past the stadium and turns right into Homer Street, which leads to Dante Bath. In the uncovered Dante Bath, some water polo matches took place during the 1972 Olympic Games, with up to 3,200 spectators present. In summer, the pool invites for cooling off or a picnic on the large lawn.

Past Dante Bath, it goes over Postillon Street, crossing Dachauer Street, to Sapporobogen. Here is the entrance to Borstei. Anyone who wants can take a look into the courtyards of the listed residential complex. The path then leads under the ring to Toni-Merkens Way back onto the Olympic site. The first thing greeting you here is the large construction site of the new multifunctional sports arena. It will be the future home stadium of the ice hockey team EHC München and the basketball team of FC Bayern.

To the right along Toni-Merkens Way, then left to Willi-Gebhardt Shore and leave it at the next bridge to the left into Olympiapark. Ernst Curtius Way leads to Olympia Triumphans. The bronze sculpture depicts a mighty and powerful athlete balancing on a sphere with her hands. The Latin inscription reads: “Triumphant Olympia. Through nature to art. Through art to nature. For the building up of man. For the development of humanity.”

Continuing, crossing Toni-Merkens Way, to Ernst Curtius Way, named after the German ancient historian and archaeologist who led the first excavations in Olympia from 1875 to 1881. On the left, the park harp, on the right along the tennis courts, you can admire the spectacular Olympiastadion from below.

Its architecture was meant to reflect the open and joyful character of the 1972 Olympic Games. To reduce the dominance of the Olympiastadion, Behnisch & Partner designed it as a ground stadium, sunk two-thirds into an artificially created hill landscape. This concept also includes the tent roof construction stretched above, which appears light and transparent.

Passing the Olympiastadion, uphill with a gentle slope, you are directly under the tent roof and can experience its special atmosphere. The architects were inspired by the tent roof pavilion of the 1967 World Exhibition in Montreal. They then designed the characteristic 74,800 square meter tent roof construction that connects the stadium with two neighboring sports arenas, the Olympiahalle and the swimming hall, into an ensemble. Since its completion, the roof has been considered a static and design sensation.

One can well imagine the overwhelming feeling it must have been – and still is – for athletes to enter the Olympiastadion with its impressive tent roof.

The trail now leads into the northern part of the Olympiapark. To the left over the Hanns Braun Bridge directly to the Memorial Beam. It was erected as a monument to the victims of the 1972 Olympic attack. On the beam are engraved in Hebrew letters the names of the eleven Israeli hostages who were killed and in Latin letters the name of the Bavarian policeman who died during the rescue attempt in Fürstenfeldbruck.

Following Kolehmainen Way to the right, you reach the memorial site for the Munich Olympic attack. Historic film and audio files provide insight into the events and timeline of the hostage-taking. You also learn more about the lives of the twelve victims.

After a short pause, go back a bit and at the next junction turn right onto Kusocińskidamm, named after the Polish athlete and Olympic champion. This leads to El-Thouni Way, dedicated to the Egyptian weightlifter and also Olympic champion, which you then take right on a small paved path down to the beginnings of the Olympic village. Around the suggested roundabout, turn left and take a footpath from which you can see the red brick walls of the “Red City,” as it is called by the local residents. It is a popular meeting place for parkour and freerunners.

Passing through the area between the Red and White City, turn right and at the next junction turn right again, directly to the first of the two world spheres, which are somewhat hidden between trees and scaffolding. For the 1972 Olympic Games, they symbolized the motto “The World as a Guest in Munich” and were later used as a popular climbing frame. Today, they could symbolize the state of the earth...

If you want, walk up to the world sphere and continue on the narrow, overgrown path or take the path below the spheres to the left. Past the kindergarten on the left, continue up the concrete ramp into Straßberger Street. Follow this to the right and come via colorfully paved paths to the Olympia Church. The initially inconspicuous, box-shaped building proves to be more profound than one might think. With the new ecumenical center, they wanted to present themselves with a democratic, open-to-all-nations and denominations self-understanding. The all-encompassing roof combines Catholic and Protestant worship rooms with a community center in the basement. The foundation stone was laid in 1960; in 1972, during the Olympic Games, international services were held in 14 languages.

Having explored the Olympia Church from all sides, it goes to the right into Nadi Street and behind the primary school down the ramp to the left. Here you cross the green area, can see the second world sphere shimmering through the trees on the left, and follow the small stream to Nadi Lake. Over a small bridge, walk along it on the left side and reach Connolly Street via a few steps. Follow this further left and recognize the underpass of the Olympic village that serves to separate car and pedestrian traffic.

Shortly before the underground street, turn right and follow an unpaved path sharply right at the overpass upwards. Now you are on the upper Connolly Street. After a few meters, the building where the Israeli team was accommodated appears on the right. Here the hostage-taking of the 1972 attack began. A memorial plaque remembers this terrible event. Today, the building houses the guesthouse of the Max Planck Society.

The trail follows the blue Media line used for orientation and comes to a colorfully painted fountain. Behind it is the sculpture “Olympic Rings” by artist Ruth Kiener-Flamm. Soon you can see the bungalows of the student village from above and reach them by stairs down to the right. Here, you can walk through the narrow rows and admire the sometimes very artistic paintings of the students on their bungalows. Afterwards, continue east past the parking garage to the Olympiazentrum subway station.

Back then, the Olympic Games brought enormous improvements to the infrastructure of the city of Munich. The long plans for a subway could be realized thanks to the awarding of the Games. The entire northern part of Munich was developed, and in spring 1972 the U3 line was opened with the then terminal station Olympiazentrum.

Passing the station on the right, proceed directly to BMW Welt. It offers changing exhibitions and events, and two restaurants, one of them with two Michelin stars and 18 Gault & Millau points, provide culinary delights.

Continue on Walther-Bathe Way, named after the multiple world record holder and Olympic champion in breaststroke swimming, over the Mittlerer Ring. From here, you have a good view of the BMW grounds.

At the end of the bridge, on the left, are the SoccArena, the ice sports center, and a mini golf course. Continue right on Luz-Long Shore (German track and field athlete) to the Walk of Stars, where famous personalities like Udo Lindenberg, the Backstreet Boys, or Pink, who scored big successes in the arenas and on stages of the park, have been immortalized since 2003.

Next to the Olympiasee restaurant stands the approximately 291-meter-high Olympiaturm (Olympic Tower). In contrast to most other buildings of the Olympiapark, it was initially planned as a TV tower (construction period 1965-1968) but was included in the Olympiapark planning after the approval for the 1972 Olympic Games.

With a lift, you reach the observation platforms in about 30 seconds and enjoy a sensational 360° view over the city and, with some luck, a phenomenal view to the Alps. At 181 meters is the rotating restaurant 181. It completes a 360-degree rotation in 53 minutes. The platform above (185 m) houses the Rockmuseum Munich with rare collector's items of rock history.

Following Luz-Long Shore, you pass the Olympia Swimming Hall. Twenty-nine competitions were held here during the 1972 Olympics. The leader was US American Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals in world record time. One year after the Olympic Games, the swimming hall was opened to the public. Important championships are still held here today.

After the swimming hall, turn left and find yourself again at Hans-Jochen-Vogel-Platz. Past the Olympiahalle ends the tour where it started a few hours ago. The Olympiahalle served as the venue for apparatus gymnastics and handball during the 1972 Olympic Games and was consciously designed as a multi-purpose hall for post-Olympic use.

Congratulations on this almost Olympic-level performance!