Tempelhof Airport Berlin: Airlift Tours

At Platz der Luftbrücke stands Tempelhof Airport, Europe's largest architectural monument, built from 1936 as a prestige project of the National Socialists. In 1948, the 'Raisin Bombers' of the Berlin Airlift landed here, after which the US Air Force used the site until the end of the Cold War. Guided tours lead through hangars, bunkers, and transit passages.

Tempelhof Airport: Airlift and Cold War in one place

The Berlin-Tempelhof Airport is Europe’s largest architectural monument and has been a symbol of German engineering since 2011. The building is far more than just an architectural sensation. From 1936, the world’s largest contiguous airport building was constructed here, its dimensions matching the National Socialists’ claim to grandeur. Anyone walking through the monumental halls immediately feels this.

However, the history of the place is multifaceted. Tempelhof gained worldwide fame during the Berlin Blockade of 1948: While the Soviet Union cut off all land and water routes to West Berlin, hundreds of aircraft landed here daily, bringing food, coal, and essential goods to the blockaded city. Under the keyword „Raisin Bombers”, the operation became a founding myth of West Berlin.

Guided Tours and Permanent Exhibition: Experience German-German History

Today, the former airport is a living historical monument with various tour formats. The „Myth of Tempelhof” tour leads to the most interesting places in the imposing building, from the former departure hall to the areas used by the Americans and the transit passages. Particularly impressive is the „Hidden Places” tour, which offers moving insights into its use during National Socialism and by the US Air Force during the Cold War.

Additionally, a new format has been available since early 2025: The short tour „THF in 60 Minutes” is particularly suitable for spontaneous visitors or people with limited mobility. The permanent exhibition in the CHECK-IN visitor center, developed by the Topography of Terror Foundation, highlights the airport’s construction as a prestige project of the National Socialists, its role during the Berlin Airlift, and recalls the old airport as a hub in an early Europe-wide transport network. Anyone seriously interested in German-German history should not only visit Tempelhofer Feld but also explore the depths of the building.

Airlift Memorial: The Landmark in front of Tempelhof Airport

At Platz der Luftbrücke in front of the former airport building stands the Airlift Memorial by Eduard Ludwig, affectionately called „Hungerharke” (Hunger Rake) by Berliners. With its three westward-pointing ribs, the 20-meter-high monument symbolizes the three air corridors through which West Berlin was supplied during the blockade. Even those who don’t book a guided tour will find a moment for reflection here.