Munich is planning a World Heritage application: Olympic Park as a sports and relaxation area!

Munich is planning a World Heritage application: Olympic Park as a sports and relaxation area!

Munich's Olympic Park is busy even on a cloudy day. Despite the single-digit temperatures, many people are taking advantage of the opportunity to engage in various activities. From fitness equipment to leisurely walks, visitors enjoy a variety of activities. Joggers, skaters and swimming pool visitors take care of their well-being, while others enjoy their time on the “Walk of Fame”. The Bavarian State Newspaper reports that the city of Munich is now putting the Olympic Park into play for the UNESCO World Heritage List.

City planner Nils Scheffler has already listed four important reasons for applying for the prestigious status. The Olympic Park is not only used as a sports center and recreational space, but also offers impressive modeled architecture and parkland. The unique tent roof in particular is considered a pioneering achievement. It is also emphasized that the design was done on a human scale.

Unique world heritage

The application for the UNESCO World Heritage List could not only bring international recognition to the Munich Olympic Park, but also set the course for its further development. The park is on Germany's tentative list, which includes a total of ten other sites. In addition, a referendum for the Olympic Games in 2036 received the green light with a large majority. City planning officer Elisabeth Merk emphasizes that the two projects, the World Heritage application and the Olympic application, could possibly run in parallel.

At an information event in the Milbertshofen cultural center, around 100 people present discussed the future of the park. Architect Fritz Auer, who is 92 years old and played a key role in the construction of the 1972 Olympic Games, warned against turning the park into a museum. He emphasized the need to continuously develop the Olympic Park and criticized previous wrong decisions in this context.

Sustainability and further development

With a focus on careful further development, the entire area surrounding the park is also considered. The city plans to acquire the Bundeswehr administration center in order to expand the parking area. Discussions are also underway about the new use of the former bus station and the opening of sports facilities. There is an urgent need for new operator concepts and human resources for comprehensive support of leisure activities.

To support the planning and future use of the Olympic Park, there is already a design manual that covers factors such as architecture, landscape planning and signage and serves as a guide for planning or competitions. The Olympic Park has been registered as an ensemble in the Bavarian list of monuments since 1998 and is continually being developed to meet the needs of all age groups.

Numerous decisions have already been made for sustainable development, which arose in collaboration with specialist authorities and planners. In this way, the Olympic Park has the potential to become an even more lively and welcoming place for Munich's citizens and visitors. The city of Munich Through such initiatives, has a clear view of the future, as developments to date show.