olympic village tour 2014

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The Sochi Olympics legacy: ‘The city now feels like a ghost town’

The Russian winter games passed off successfully enough. But with Russia in political and economic turmoil, what next for the Black Sea resort – and its unfinished white elephants? February 2014: Olympic roadshow occupies Sochi

T he Winter Olympics in Sochi were meant to be the culmination of Vladimir Putin’s 14 years in charge of Russia; a sign that the country was able to host major world events, and the chance to create a world-class winter resort hub. In the end, the games were overshadowed by subsequent events in Ukraine, and Sochi itself was given a major makeover, but the alleged huge corruption involved in the construction and the “white elephant” nature of many of the stadia has left locals wondering if it was worth it.

That the games themselves went off more or less successfully was beyond dispute. The venues were impressive, even if the Olympic park lacked atmosphere, and the worries about excessive security proved unfounded. Dressing up the notoriously unhelpful and over-zealous Russian police in purple tracksuits worked a treat psychologically, and security procedures were on the whole unobtrusive.

Few athletes who made it to Sochi wanted to make an issue of Russia’s laws banning “homosexual propaganda”, and the games came and went largely without the issue coming up. It transpired that Sochi’s only gay club, far from being closed down by authorities ahead of the games, had been given preferential treatment by the mayor, who wanted to make sure it stayed open at all costs, to receive western journalists and gay athletes during the games and dispel the accusations of homophobia. The club, which features drag acts and is also popular among straight locals, remains open.

Russia was furious that western media made such a big issue of the fact that many of the hotels were not finished on time – journalists arrived to find the doors to their rooms being attached, or rooms with no heating, internet or phone reception.

Whatever the successes and pitfalls of Sochi, the Winter Olympics seem destined to be a mere footnote in the history books when people look back in years to come at 2014 in Russia. The games were eclipsed by events in neighbouring Ukraine: at the opening ceremony, Viktor Yanukovych was there draped in a Ukrainian flag, by the closing ceremony he had been deposed after snipers had killed more than 100 people in Kiev. Within a month, Russia had annexed Crimea, and any international goodwill accrued by the Olympics was vaporised and then some, as Russia and the west entered their frostiest period of relations since the end of the cold war.

Many Russian officials believed there was an organised campaign to discredit Russia over Sochi, and the lack of world leaders who travelled to the games was also seen as an obnoxious snub to Russia and Putin. More than one Russian official has suggested privately that if the reaction to Sochi had been different, Putin may have taken a less uncompromising line in Crimea and Ukraine.

When the Olympics left town, the next big showpiece event was meant to be the G8 summit in June, which would have seen Barack Obama and other world leaders travel to the Black Sea resort. Putin’s dacha is nearby, and he has hosted world leaders in Sochi for years, but holding the summit was meant to cement the city on the diplomatic as well as the sporting map. With the annexation of Crimea, however, Russia was kicked out of the G8, and the summit did not take place, and instead of G8 the town made do with F1, as the first Russian Formula One race was held in a newly built track in October.

Environmentalist Evgeny Vitishko remains behind bars , ostensibly for spray-painting a fence, though rights activists believe the three-year sentence he received was aimed at shutting him up before the Olympics and deterring others from protesting. Vitishko and a small, hardy band of colleagues had documented environmental abuses and official corruption in the run-up to the games. There has been no real investigation into the extraordinarily high costs behind the most expensive Olympics ever (most estimates are around the $50bn mark), which was widely believed to be down to corruption.

The main feeling for residents and visitors is that the spread-out nature of the stadiums and arenas, and the still-unfinished construction, gives areas of the city the feel of ghost town. With Sochi home to just 300,000 people, the vast majority of infrastructure had to be built from scratch. Whole residential districts were constructed. Many buildings were not finished in time for the games – and probably never will be.

However, with the deteriorating economic situation in Russia, there could be an unexpected bonus for Sochi, with the winter ski season in the nearby slopes shaping up to be better than anyone expected. With the rouble losing around 50% against the euro over the course of the year, holidays in Europe have become prohibitively expensive for many Russians, and skiing breaks in the Caucasus will be seen as an increasingly affordable alternative.

Winter Olympics
2014: what happened next?
Winter Olympics 2014
Vladimir Putin

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Inside the Olympic Village in Sochi

Author: Brian Cazeneuve

Welcome to the athletes' village at the Olympics. This is one of two constructed to house the roughly 3,000 athletes and nearly as many officials and functionaries. It is where those playing starring and supporting roles at the Games will eat, sleep, stretch, fret and celebrate over their Olympic experience.

We are down in the so-called Coastal Cluster, where the ice sports are being held. The snow sports, located up in the Mountain Cluster, have their own accommodations.

There are buildings for athletes to eat, workout, get a haircut, trade pins, buy and mail a postcard, get a massage, watch other competitions on large-screen televisions or simply blow off steam. “We have a place with a disco library,” says Svetlana Zhurova, a former Russian speedskating star whose official title is mayor of the athlete village. “So you may have a dance or you may read a book or both.”

One building houses a giant fitness center with free weights, stationary bikes, chin-up bars, rowing machines, and even a fit ball with a face of a smiling misha bear.

The games room inside gives athletes a chance to relax or find competitive pursuits in which they seem quite human. One skater from Kazakhstan attempted a pool trick shot that went somewhat wrong and pelted a volunteer in the ribs with an errant 15 ball. To be fair, it didn’t miss the side pocket -- of the volunteer’s jacket -- by much.

Athletes can try their hands and feet at a 500-meter speed skating contest on a Wii machine. The words “Adler Arena” scrolled across the screen every few seconds and display the fastest times, which had been posted by the entrants Dr. Eggman, Peach and Ralph Sampson. Who knew the old Virginia Mountaineer could skate?

A pair of other Wii machines featured modified versions of snowboarding and freestyle skiing. The number of crashes and degree of incline seem to approximate the maligned slopestyle course in Sochi. One Hungarian athlete was displaying some questionable form and fairly colorful language in trying to ride the rails without spinning into the bushes. He finally gave up and convinced a coach to join him in a more predictable game of foosball.

Perhaps because most NHL players were still plying their trades in North America for their NHL teams, the air hockey game remained unused during our visit.

Eighties techno music blared from the back of the nearby disco/library, which sported an oddly shaped bookcase that displayed novels leaning against one another at unusual angles.

Available offerings could placate those with the sensibilities of the 10,000-meter speed skater or 50k cross-country skier (Tolstoy’s War and Peace) or the 500-meter skaters (any number of quickies from Stephen King). Other options included everything from the Scarlett Letter to the Great Gatsby to Dracula and the Three Musketeers. And would any library in the old Soviet Union ever have allowed the display of The Gulag Archipelago by celebrated dissident Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn? This one did.

Athletes have access to a game room with a pool table and Nintendo Wii games among other activities.

Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/MCT via Getty Images

The complex consists of 47 buildings containing apartments with anywhere from one to four bedrooms. Most have balconies and patios. Athletes from several countries have draped flags outside of several of the balconies. Slovenia and Slovakia have large flags -- the Slovenian one has seen better days before being twisted up by the wind -- and those from Norway and Spain are slightly smaller.

“That’s when you know you’ve arrived at the games,” says Charles Hamelin, a Canadian short track skater competing at his third Olympics. “When you see the flags and the athletes from other sports that you don’t usually see during the season, then you really feel like this is the Olympics. That’s why getting into the village makes it feel different than just a normal competition.”

The buildings lead to a park and lake with jogging and biking paths along the scenic seafront of the Black Sea. Somewhere out there, two U.S. navy ships, the U.S.S. Mount Whitney and the U.S.S. Taylor stand watch in case an incident causes an emergency evacuation of U.S. delegation members.

There are fewer flags here than at most Olympics, perhaps because of security warnings about athletes being too public with their country affiliations. No U.S. flags fly from the balconies, and there are no signs on the doors indicating that a particular building houses U.S. athletes. One journalist who had been speaking to a trainer from her local area was shooed away from the building by a delegation official.

Each nation has its own flag-raising ceremony inside the village, with delegation officials and athlete invited to attend, as the flags ascend poles and anthems are played. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the Russian flag raising ceremony and proclaimed, “We count on you and place our hopes in you.”

The Indian team had been forbidden to raise its own flag during the opening ceremony because its Olympic committee was under suspension because of corruption. Athletes had to march into the stadium under the heading of Independent Olympic Participants. India was reinstated during the games and was due to have its flag raising ceremony at the village later in the week.

Australian athletes have a raised a mini-furor by raising a flag with a boxing kangaroo that has become a popular, but unofficial, flag in that country. Unauthorized flags are generally forbidden by the IOC and local organizers at the Games. When officials in Vancouver gave the Aussies a hard time over the flag draping at the last games, the folks down under defiantly flew one anyway. This year, the parents of David Morris, the world’s No. 2-ranked aerialist, began waving the flag in the stands during his competition, and Morris’ father nearly came to blows with a security guard who tried to take it away.

U.S. athletes have had mixed results at their village.

U.S. figure skater Jason Brown, a first-time Olympian, arrived in his room the first day to find that family members, teammates and officials had conspired to place a giant poster of him skating, above his bed and had also decorated the room’s other walls with family photos from his childhood. “It made me feel just like I was home,” Brown said.

Here’s hoping this bobsledder Johnny Quinn doesn’t repeat his village experiences at home. On Saturday, Quinn was locked in his bathroom and had to break a hole in his door in order to get out . Two days later, Quinn and two of his teammates, Nick Cunningham and David Cripps, got stuck in an elevator.

British bobsledder Rebekah Wilson had a close call last week when she hit the down button from the third floor of the village and saw the door open to a drop into an empty elevator shaft . Relieved she was paying attention, Wilson decided to walk.

The Olympic Village is an equalizer of sorts where no one athlete should expect better treatment than others. Even for the athletes who go swifter, higher and stronger as they reach for the stars, the village in Sochi can be a place where it pays to reach for the stairs.

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Sochi Photos: Winter Olympics 2014

Olympic countdown.

clock counting down to the start of the Winter Olympic Games 2014.

The Winter Olympic Games will begin on Feb. 7, 2014, with the Opening Ceremony in Sochi, Russia. Here, the clock counting down the time until the start of Olympic and Paralympic Games. The clock stands at Red Square and Tverskaya St. in Moscow. (Photo taken Sept. 3, 2013.)

Sochi at Night

astronaut image of Sochi, Russia, at night.

One of the Expedition 38 crew members aboard the International Space Station downlinked this vertical 600mm night view of Sochi, Russia, which clearly shows the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics while they are just a few days under way. Fisht Stadium where the Opening Ceremonies were held on Feb. 7 is easily recognizable as the bright circular structure. Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Black Sea coast near the border between Georgia/Abkhazia and Russia. It has an area of 1,353 square miles or 3,505 square kilometers.

Ski Jumping

Springboard complex "RusSki Gorki," which will be used for ski jumping in Sochi, shown here on Feb. 2, 2012.

Ice Skating

The finishing facade of the ice rink for figure skating on June 20, 2013, in Sochi, Russia, for the Winter Olympic Games 2014.

The ice dome

Construction of Bolshoy Ice Dome on June 20, 2013, in Sochi, Russia for the Winter Olympic Games 2014.

The Caucasus Mountains in Krasnaya Polyana, the ski and snowboarding resort where the Winter Olympics will be held in Sochi, Russia.

Caucasus Mountains

The Caucasus Mountains in Krasnaya Polyana ski resort. This mountain range is considered the dividing line between Europe (the northern part of the mountains) and Asia (the southern part).

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sochi-avalanche

A system of Gazex pipes, installed in the mountains above Sochi, could help prevent a catastrophic avalanche at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

2014 Winter Olympics - Sochi

On Dec. 7, 2013, the Olympic torch reached Novosibirsk, Russia, in preparation for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Earth from Space: 2014 Winter Olympics Village

This DigitalGlobe satellite image shows the 2014 Winter Olympics village in Sochi, Russia. This image was collected Jan. 2, 2014.

Earth from Space: 2014 Winter Olympics Slopes

This DigitalGlobe satellite image shows the 2014 Winter Olympics event slopes in Sochi, Russia. This image was collected Jan. 2, 2014.

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Take a Tour of the Olympic Village

By Karen Hanley and James Surdam July 30, 2021

Share full article

The women’s basketball team from Puerto Rico qualified for the Olympics for the first time this year.

India Pagán, who plays center, walked us through a day in the Olympic Village →

Each day starts the same way: with a Covid test. “You have to spit into this little tube,” Pagán said.

Hand sanitizer, masks and social distancing are also ubiquitous.

Practice takes place on a smaller court.

On Monday, Puerto Rico will play Australia at the Saitama Super Arena. “It is huge,” Pagán said. “My idols will be playing on this court.”

Whenever athletes enter or leave the Olympic Village, they have to show their (unmasked) faces and IDs.

Pagán said the security was like being at the airport.

Pagán usually eats in the dining hall with her teammates.

“They have everything you can imagine,” she said, including vegetarian options and halal dishes.

“The village is pretty big,” Pagán said, and there’s an autonomous bus that shuttles athletes around.

But Pagán and her peers tend to walk: “We got to get a little exercise in.”

See more Olympics coverage:

In pictures: Take a tour inside Tokyo’s Olympic Village

A journalist looks at cardboard beds for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Villages, which are shown in a display room the Village Plaza on June 20, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

The Olympic Village in Tokyo, Japan, is getting ready to greet the world when it officially opens on July 13, just 10 days before the Games are to open.

There are 21 residential towers with a total of 3,600 rooms inside the Village. The complexes are equipped with 18,000 beds made out of cardboard frames and other minimalist furnishings. The residential apartments are set to house some 12,000 athletes and support staff.

Journalists from around the world covering the Games were given access to view the Olympic Village on June 20, 2021.

ATHLETE LIVING QUARTERS

A journalist films the main dining hall during a press tour of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Village. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

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One month to go! A look at the Olympic Village; Tokyo prepares for the Opening Ceremony

The Olympic Village is getting ready to house more than 11,000 athletes for Tokyo 2020 with state of the art facilities, 24/7 dining halls and more; 143 buses and over 700 people take part in mass operational test ahead of the Opening Ceremony on 23 July 2021.

Only 30 days remain until the start of the Olympic Games.

With just one month to go until the Opening Ceremony of Tokyo 2020, plans are gathering pace to host the show-stopping event at Tokyo's Olympic Stadium on 23 July 2021.

Elsewhere, final preparations are underway at the Olympic Village as they prepare to host thousands of athletes during the Games, with the first match - Japan vs Australia in softball, taking place two days before the ceremony in Fukushima on 21 July.

As the clock ticks down to Tokyo 2020, it's time to take a sneak peak behind the scenes at the Olympic Village and see how the wheels are very much in motion ahead of the Opening Ceremony.

Everything you need to know about the Olympic Village

There is no place at the Olympic Games quite like the Olympic Village.

It's a place for athletes to prepare for their events but also to unwind in the midst of a hectic competition schedule. At Tokyo 2020, competitors couldn't be any better prepared and hosted than inside the Village.

Located on the picturesque Harumi waterfront district of Tokyo and surrounded by the sea on three sides - which allow for stunning views of Tokyo Bay, including the famed Rainbow Bridge - the Village has lots on offer.

Firstly, you won't go hungry.

One of the busiest places within the Village at every Olympic Games is the Dining Hall. Opened 24/7, there will be roughly 700 food options on offer at Tokyo 2020, catering for all preferences from Halal, vegetarian to gluten-free.

Away from the sizeable Dining Hall, one of the most Instagramable spots is the Village Plaza . As one of the sustainability initiatives of Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the plaza has been constructed from timber donated by 63 municipalities from across Japan and will be returned after the Games.

Behind the scenes at the Olympic Village

Athletes will be able to unwind throughout the Village as well as at Harumi Port Park, which features massage chairs at the Relaxation House and a playground, shaped like a pirate ship. There is also Harumi Greenway and the recreation centre in the Multi-function complex, where many fierce table tennis battles could take place.

In the residential facilities, bed frames have been made of cardboard and are 100 per cent recyclable while blackout curtains have been installed to allow sleep at any time during the day.

Keeping with the theme of being the most innovative Olympic Games, the internal shuttle buses are autonomous with nine bus stops around the main facilities. For the first time in the history of the Games, there will also be a dedicated treatment programme which will provide comprehensive medical care for female athletes at the Clinic Complex (Polyclinic).

COVID-19 protocols are also in place including a dedicated Fever Clinic for diagnosing and testing athletes showing symptoms as well as a dedicated area for close contacts.

With Olympic venues also set outside Tokyo Prefecture, there will be two Satellite Villages; in Enoshima (Olympic Sailing Village) and Izu City (Olympic Cycling Village).

Opening Ceremony preparations gathers pace

Whether it's a clear evening, cloudy or raining, the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is set to take place from 20:00 JST on 23 July 2021.

And so, in the early hours of 20 June, 142 busses carrying 750 people, acting as athletes, left the Olympic Village for the Olympic Stadium for a transport simulation test in preparation for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies. Despite the rainy conditions, the test allowed Tokyo 2020 to finalise plans with just over a month out to the Games.

With spectators allowed into the Olympic Stadium for the Opening Ceremony , two flag bearers - one male and one female - from each of the 205 nations participating at the Olympic Games, will be greeted by a round of applause from thousands of fans during the Parade of Nations.

The Opening Ceremony is always shrouded in secrecy - it's one of the best kept secrets at every Olympic Games. But if the handover ceremony at Rio 2016 is anything to go by, those who are tuning in on 23 July are in for a spectacular show.

Billions of people are expected to tune in across the globe to watch the Opening Ceremony to celebrate the start of the Games.

The countdown continues...

Sochi 2014: An Olympic Preview

Alan Taylor
December 12, 2012

In just over one year, the small Black Sea resort town of Sochi, Russia, will host the 2014 Winter Olympics. Sochi won its bid to host the games back in 2007, and has been preparing ever since - upgrading telecommunications, transportation, and other infrastructure, and constructing many huge new venues in two main locations: the Coastal Cluster along the Black Sea shore in the Imeretinskaya Valley and the Mountain Cluster in Krasnaya Polyana. With construction deadlines approaching next summer, here is a look at the progress so far in Sochi.

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A view of the Bolshoi Ice Palace construction site at the Olympic Park in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, on December 16, 2011. The Olympic Park will be able to accommodate about 75,000 visitors when full, and all the ice arenas will be within walking distance of one other. Sochi will host the 2014 Winter Olympics that start on February 7, 2014. #

An aerial view of the construction area of the Olympic Park in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, on May 18, 2012. #

People fishing from the shore near the construction site of the Olympic Village in the Imereti Valley in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi, on November 22, 2012. #

Security guards walk along the debris of abandoned buildings with the Olympic Park in Imeretinskaya Valley seen in the background, in Sochi, on February 17, 2012. #

Construction of the Olympic Oval skating center during a media tour of the Olympic venues in Sochi, on February 10, 2012. The Olympic Oval will host the speed skating events of the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The stadium will be used as a trade and exhibition center after the Games. #

The newly constructed Iceberg skating palace, which will host the short track speed skating and figure skating events in Sochi, part of the coastal cluster for the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics, on December 7, 2012. #

The Bolshoi Ice Palace under construction at the Olympic park in Sochi, on May 20, 2011. #

Residents work in their garden, with the under-construction Olympic Park in Imeretinskaya Valley seen in the background, in Sochi, on February 17, 2012. #

Construction work on the train line that will connect the Olympic coastal venues with the mountain venues, on December 9, 2012 in Sochi, Russia. #

A ski resort under construction near the Black Sea resort of Sochi, on May 19, 2011. #

Views of the river running through Rosa Khutor mountain venue for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, on November 7, 2012. #

The RusSki Gorki Ski Jump, which will be used for the Ski Jumping event at the Sochi Winter Olympics 2014, during the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup on December 9, 2012. #

A snowboarder passes by an advertising poster for Gorky Gorod, an under-construction ski resort in Krasnaya Polyana, some 40 km (25 miles) outside of the Black Sea city of Sochi, late February 18, 2012. During the 2014 Olympics, Gorky Gorod will be used as the Olympic Media Village. #

A trial jumper soars over construction sites surrounding the ski jumping hill of Krasnaya Polyana, on December 7, 2012, before the start of the Sochi Ski Jumping World Cup tournament. The hill will be a venue for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. #

Gondolas sit near a track at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort on Aibga Ridge, part of the complex of facilities to be used for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, on November 7, 2012. #

An aerial view of a partially demolished house, owned by the Khlystov family, in the Black Sea city of Sochi, on September 19, 2012. Workers arrived at Sergei Khlystov's gate on a Friday evening to bulldoze his home and clear a path for sewage pipes to the Olympic village being built in Sochi. #

Tatyana Samokhval (left), daughter of local resident Sergei Khlystov, embraces her crying mother Valentina Khlystova in front of their partially demolished house in the Black Sea city of Sochi, on September 19, 2012. Khlystov and his 33-year-old son-in-law, Maxim Samokhval, at first tried to block the bulldozers but then stood aside and watched as the two-story house was destroyed. The earthmovers ended Khlystov's battle to stay in his house, one of the last razed in the Mirny neighborhood to make way for the Winter Olympics in 2014. #

The accommodation and facilities complex, under construction in Sochi, with the Bolshoi Ice Dome in the background, on December 2, 2012. Construction is due to be completed by August 2013 according to organizers. #

Workers on the roof of the Bolshoi Ice Dome, a venue for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics under construction on December 2, 2012. #

A view of the Adler Arena, the Olympic 2014 Speed Skating venue during the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2012 at the Iceberg Skating Palace on December 7, 2012 in Sochi, Russia. #

The Fisht Olympic Stadium, a part of the complex of facilities to be used for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, under construction in Sochi, on December 2, 2012. #

A journalist walks inside the under-construction Bolshoi Ice Palace in the Olympic park in Imeretinskaya Valley, on May 30, 2011. #

The partially-completed interior of the Shayba Arena, part of the complex of facilities to be used for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, on November 6, 2012. The Shayba Arena is designed to accommodate 7,000 spectators, and will host Olympic ice hockey competitions and Paralympic ice sledge hockey competitions. #

A man cleans the floor of the Adler Arena venue for Speed Skating at the 2014 Winter Olympics on November 6, 2012 in Sochi, Russia. #

The exterior of the Shayba Arena, part of the complex of facilities to be used for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, on November 6, 2012. #

Several buildings under construction in the Olympic Park to be used for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, on December 9, 2012. The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics opens on February 7, 2014. #

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A Brief History of Sex at the Olympics

T uesday the internet erupted in a wave of Sochi shock that had nothing to do with dangerous half pipes , packs of wild dogs , or atrocious hotel accommodations.

Can you believe that Olympic athletes are all using Tinder—a DATING APP —at the Olympic village? So much so that “Tinder hook-ups [are] off the hook” ? This is completely unexpected. Why would the world’s best athletes, in their physical prime, with endorphins to kill and calories to burn, and who are all compressed in a small living space be so interested in this particular extracurricular activity?

Tinder-gate of Sochi 2014 is just the most recent round of faux-surprise that Olympians might, in fact, be having sex. (Because while it’s ok to allude to the deed by sexifying female athletes , the idea that anyone’s having any actual sex is a different thing completely.)

We’ve rounded up a history of how sex at Olympic village has been covered over the last few decades. And judging by the florid prose in the dispatches below, the journalists seem to be pretty overheated as well.

Sochi 2014 :

The games have just begun, but it’s already the year of Tinder and talk of 100,000 condoms circulating around the Olympic Village.

London 2012:

The London Olympics probably saw the most headlines regarding athlete-on-athlete sexcapades. “Gay app Grindr crashes as Olympic athletes arrive in London,” read the Mirror . “ Could London 2012 be the raunchiest games ever ?” asked the Daily Mail . “Steamy London Olympics: A Condom-a-Day, Per Athlete,” wrote Businessweek of the 150,000 condoms distributed. “Who Will Win the Sex Olympics?” questioned Forbes — Durex was the right answer.

Althletes were particularly candid about their sex lives, as well. “I’ve seen people having sex right out in the open,” U.S. soccer star Hope Solo told ESPN in a long expose of Olympians’ sexual encounters. “On the grass, between buildings, people are getting down and dirty.”

Ryan Lochte said: “My last Olympics, I had a girlfriend — big mistake. Now I’m single, so London should be really good. I’m excited.”

We’ll reveal other athlete sex secrets exposed to ESPN as our timeline continues.

Vancouver 2010:

Snowboarder Scotty Lago, 22, went home earlier than anticipate after TMZ leaked a photo showing a fan biting on his bronze medal when it was hanging from his belt buckle. (He had no events left to compete in.)

CNN ran the headline, “Vancouver medals in condom distribution”

ESPN reported that six athletes had an orgy in a hot tub right outside the Village.

Beijing 2008:

Former Olympic table tennis player Matthew Syed wrote an article for the Times of London noting that there was a “sex fest… right here in Beijing. Olympic athletes have to display an unnatural… level of self-discipline in the build-up to big competitions. How else is this going to manifest itself than with a volcanic release of pent-up hedonism.” This led to a headlines asserting that the Olympic Village hosted “More Sex than Woodstock.”

Page Six discussed Michael Phelps “celebrated his record-breaking eight gold medals in Beijing by sneaking off for a sizzling game of tonsil hockey with one of Australia’s hottest Olympians.” (She was his girlfriend .)

Oh, and Beijing authorities distributed 400,000 condoms to more than 400 hotels in the Olympic city, said the AFP. Although other sources reported only 100,000 were provided for athletes.

Solo told ESPN in 2012 that she slept with a celebrity in Beijing, but she wouldn’t say who it was.

Salt Lake City 2002:

The conservative city hosted some protests against Olympic policies to distribute free condoms to athletes.

Sydney 2000:

Officials thought that 70,000 (rainbow) condoms would be enough . They had to send out for 20,000 more after a week.

Javelin thrower Breaux Greer told ESPN that he had relations with three women every day of the Olympics — two were other Olympians and another was a tourist. He had to leave the games due to a knee injury. But as a consolation prize, he did end up with a famous (unnamed) Olympian in the airplane bathroom on the flight back to Los Angeles.

Norway 1994:

Skier Carrie Sheinberg told ESPN that two German bobsledders “made it clear that they’d trade me their gold for all kinds of other favors. I said jokingly, ‘Thanks, but Tommy Moe has a medal. I’ll play with his.'”

Barcelona 1992:

Even though he played ping pong, Matthew Syed said he “got laid more often in those two and a half weeks than the rest of my life up to that point.”

This is when condoms began getting offered to Olympians to encourage safe sex during the games.

There were reports of so many condoms found on the roofs of Olympic residences that the Olympic Association banned outdoor sex.

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The Olympic Village in Barcelona: A Guide for Beginners

2024-03-07 2024-03-07

Welcome to the vibrant city of Barcelona, known for its rich culture, beautiful architecture, and delicious cuisine. But did you know that Barcelona is also home to the Olympic Village? In this guide, we will take you on a journey through the history, attractions, and practical information about the Olympic Village in Barcelona.

1. History of the Olympic Village

The Olympic Village in Barcelona was built to accommodate athletes during the 1992 Summer Olympics. Located in the neighborhood of Poblenou, the Village served as a temporary home for more than 15,000 athletes from around the world. The construction of the Olympic Village played a significant role in the urban transformation of the area, leading to its development into a modern and lively district.

2. Attractions in and Around the Olympic Village

2.1 olympic port.

One of the main attractions in the Olympic Village is the Olympic Port. This picturesque marina offers a variety of restaurants, bars, and shops, making it a perfect place to relax and enjoy the Mediterranean atmosphere. You can take a leisurely stroll along the promenade, rent a bike, or even try your hand at various water sports.

2.2 Nova Icaria Beach

Adjacent to the Olympic Village is Nova Icaria Beach, a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. With its golden sandy shores and clear turquoise waters, it’s an ideal spot to soak up the sun and unwind. Beach volleyball courts, paddleboard rentals, and beachside cafes add to the vibrant atmosphere.

2.3 Olympic Village Park

Within the Olympic Village, you’ll find the Olympic Village Park, a green oasis perfect for a leisurely walk or picnic. The park boasts lush gardens, shady trees, and various sports facilities. It’s an excellent place to relax and enjoy some outdoor activities while admiring the modernist architecture that surrounds it.

3. Practical Information

3.1 getting there.

The Olympic Village is easily accessible by public transportation. You can take the metro (Line 4) to the Ciutadella | Vila Olímpica station, which is just a short walk away from the Village. Buses also serve the area, making it convenient for visitors coming from different parts of the city.

3.2 Opening Hours

As a residential area, the Olympic Village does not have specific opening hours. However, the shops, restaurants, and attractions within the Village have their own operating hours. It’s best to check their respective websites or contact them directly for the most up-to-date information.

3.3 Accommodation

While the Olympic Village was initially constructed as temporary housing for athletes, it is now primarily a residential area. However, there are several hotels and vacation rentals available nearby, which provide easy access to the Village and its attractions. Consider booking accommodation in the Poblenou or Barceloneta neighborhoods for a convenient stay.

3.4 Safety and Tips

Barcelona is generally a safe city, but it’s always advisable to take standard safety precautions, such as keeping an eye on your belongings and avoiding isolated areas at night. When visiting the Olympic Village, be sure to bring sun protection, comfortable footwear, and a refillable water bottle, especially during the summer months.

4. Conclusion

Whether you’re a sports enthusiast, a lover of the beach, or simply interested in exploring different neighborhoods, the Olympic Village in Barcelona has something to offer for everyone. With its rich history, diverse attractions, and convenient location, visiting the Olympic Village is a must-do when in Barcelona. Start planning your trip now and make unforgettable memories in this Olympic legacy that continues to thrive.

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Guided Tours

Guided Tours are the best way to explore the venue and learn about the amazing stories of Olympic achievement – and some of the more peculiar tales of the Utah Olympic Park. The tour includes a ride aboard our shuttle bus and drive to the top of the world’s highest Nordic ski jumps and one of the fastest sliding tracks in the world. During the one hour tour, our guides will do what guides do best – inform, explain and entertain. Their knowledge and stories will bring the Games to life.

Valid at Utah Olympic Park .

Rates & Schedule

Adult (13+): $20 Youth (12 & Under) & Seniors (65+): $15

Tours are available daily from at 11 am, 1 pm & 3 pm.

Private Venue Tours

Our professional guide will board your private vehicle and escort your group around the 400 acres of Utah Olympic Park. During the 1-hour tour, our guides will do what guides do best – inform, explain & entertain!

Cost: $500 Per Guide / Per Vehicle *Must Provide Own Transportation

Contact our sales team: [email protected] or (435) 658-4253

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Last updated June 11, 2019.

Hospitality

The Olympic and Paralympic Village

A village designed by athletes, at the service of performance

Located some 7 km north of the centre of Paris, overlapping the communes of Saint-Denis , Ile Saint-Denis and Saint-Ouen and less than 5 minutes away from the Stade de France, the village will be the epicentre of the Paris 2024 design. Comprised within a radius of 500 m, the compactness of the village makes it functional and ideal for athletes. It includes three main areas: the Olympic Village Plazza, an international zone open onto the Seine river, a residential area around the Cité du Cinéma, and an operational area connected to the road networks (A86 and A1). The village will be served by the future hub of the Greater Paris underground (2 RER and 5 underground lines).

This exceptional 51-hectare site will help athletes perform. Aside from those training at their competition venues, 100% of the athletes will train within 20 minutes from the Village, and 60% of those will train within the Village itself. 85% of athletes will be accommodated less than 30 minutes away from their competition venue.

A welcoming and comfortable place to mix cultures and share experiences.

Centred around the film studio of the Cité du Cinéma, the village includes many recreational areas along the banks of the Seine river. Seven hectares of stretches of water will provide athletes with a serene and relaxing environment before and after competitions.

They will benefit from common services in iconic heritage buildings: The nave of the Cité du Cinéma will house the dining hall, while the Maxwell Hall will house a fitness centre, a café, the information and service centres, etc.

Athletes will also be able to meet in many green areas, including shared gardens on the roofs of the buildings and between the building blocks.

Things To Do
Olympic Legacy

Utah Olympic Park

The Olympic spirit is alive and well at Utah Olympic Park in Park City. Legendary ski jumping, bobsled racing, skeleton, luge and Nordic combined events made history here during Salt Lake City’s 2002 Winter Olympics. As an official United States Olympic Training Site today, the 400-acre venue hosts one of four sliding tracks in North America and six Nordic ski jumps.

Utah Olympic Park isn't just for Olympic hopefuls. This open-to-the-public mountain allows adventurous guests to experience 5Gs of force hurtling down the Olympic bobsled track. Summertime action includes ziplines, a ropes course, an alpine slide, scenic chairlift rides and extreme tubing.

More into spectating? Admission is free to soak up some history at the Eccles 2002 Winter Olympics Museum and Alf Engen Ski Museum. You may even witness the next generation of Olympic skiers and snowboarders performing acrobatic jumps into the 1.25 million-gallon training pool. An aura of adventure, passion and good-natured competition lingers on these grounds.

Utah's Olympic Legacy Explore Park City

Olympic Park Activities

Alf Engen Ski Museum

The Alf Engen Ski Museum was established well before the Olympic games landed in Salt Lake City. Its doors opened in 1987 with a mission to honor and preserve Utah’s rich ski history. Browse collections of skiing innovations, climate conditions and the Intermountain Ski Hall of Fame. Don’t miss the comprehensive collection of awards, photographs and memorabilia from the museum’s namesake Alf Engen, a U.S. Ski & Snowboard hall-of-famer who helped develop much of the region’s skiing we know and love today. Entry is free.

The bobsled track is one of the Utah Olympic Park's most iconic attractions. Visitors can experience the same thrill in winter or summer and take a trip down the bobsledding track with a professional rider. The Comet Bobsled reaches over 60 mph and riders experience 4-5 times the force of gravity. Riders must meet age, weight and health requirements to participate. Tickets must be booked beforehand, so make sure to reserve your spot in advance.

Eccles 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum

A trip through the Eccles 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum feels like reliving the games in person. The museum is a captivating tribute to the dedicated athletes and their sports, with collections of memorabilia from alpine skiing, snowboarding, track sports, curling, the Paralympics, speed skating and much more. See what a real Olympic gold medal looks like up close, and hold the famous Olympic Torch in your own hand. Admission is free.

Zipline, Ropes Course, Alpine Slide & More

The Utah Olympic Park has no shortage of activities to get your adrenaline pumping. Navigate through an elaborate ropes course suspended dozens of feet in the air, cruise down a zipline with the alpine breeze on your face, or speed down the mountainside on an alpine slide. Activities are weather-dependent and may close early during inclement weather.

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Hours of Operation

Address: 3419 Olympic Parkway, Park City, Utah 84098
Park hours: Open daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Museum hours: Open daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Explore Utah Olympic Park

Guided Tours

Taking a guided tour of the Utah Olympic Park is a great way to get the lowdown on all things Olympics. Tour guides will regale you with tales of Olympic splendor and show you all the best things the park has to offer. Tours cost $20 for adults, $15 for youth/seniors, and are offered three times per day.

Book a Tour

The Fly Girls of Park City

Written By Whitney Childers

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Kick off your ski trip by visiting Utah Olympic Park and reliving the fight for gender equality in the Olympic Winter Games with Park City’s very own women changemakers.

Ski Resorts, Northern

What's Nearby

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Heber Valley, UT

Between the destination towns of Heber and Midway, Heber Valley astonishes with its alpine splendor and access to endless outdoor recreation.

Park City, UT

Park City is the perfect mountain town. The winter slopes were once featured in the Olympics, and in summer the mountains and nearby state parks and reservoirs transform into a hiking, mountain biking, fishing and camping mecca.

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, UT

Salt Lake City makes a great gateway for travelers making a trip to Utah's ski resorts or southward to Utah’s renowned red rock country.

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No matter your level of adventure, you will find good reason to save some time for a day away from the resort.

A Cauldron of Continuing Olympic Fervor

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Since hosting the 2002 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, in many ways the Olympic spirit and world-class athletes that seized Utah have never left.

Best Spots to Get Olympic Spirit

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Just because the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games are in the past doesn’t mean that the Utah Olympic spirit is has been snuffed out. Athletes still train here, and ski schools in Utah resorts might be the start of a future Olympian’s career.

Cross-country Skiing in the Tracks of Olympians

Written By Cody Kirkland

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Utah cross country skiing for beginners starts with techniques. Soldier Hollow is the perfect location and hosted 2 events for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Things To Do in Park City

This bustling alpine town will fill your trip agenda with skiing, shopping, dining, guided tours and thrilling adventures.

Uganda to Utah: Learning to Thrive

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Professional snowboarder and Utah local Brolin Mawejje has faced his share of obstacles, but on the snow is where he finds his flow.

Well-prepared travel is responsible travel.

Do your part by planning ahead

Olympic village

Aug 12, 2016 58 comments

Berlin 1936: Olympic effort for an abandoned village

“Who needs maps anyway?” I won’t be doing that again. Then there was the prospect of cycling back! Alter, I was wrecked.

Yes, it truly was an Olympic effort to get there – Jesse Owens himself would have been proud – but there was no way I could arrive at this abandoned village once home to nearly 5,000 athletes, peep through the fence, and simply turn back the way I’d come. I had to go in!

There used to be a time, before the shadow of suspicion accompanied every achievement, when the Olympic Games were the toast of the world.

Berlin’s in 1936 were the most captivating games of all , albeit for all the wrong reasons, not only doping. Coming at a time when the Nazis had been in power for three years, they provided Hitler with a stage to show the world their greatness and prove the superiority of the Aryan race.

Abandoned 1936 Olympic village Berlin 1090130

Hitler’s native Austria only collected a measly 13 medals, compared with his adopted country’s 89, so he masterminded the Anschluß a couple of years later, before his insatiable appetite for more gold medals prompted his bid to take over the world in 1939.

Perhaps it’s no coincidence Nazi Germany attacked, fought or annexed countries that finished above Austria in the medal table from that Olympics .

Ireland escaped such a fate as it had boycotted the games, not for any bold political statement against the Nazis, but because of a row over northern athletes competing for the British. The British shared Adolf’s penchant for medals and had long plundered Irish talent as their own.

Anyway, such thoughts were far from my head as I contemplated the empty buildings lurking ominously between the trees behind the fence.

This was it! The Olympic Village , 14km west of Olympiastadion, built between 1934 and 1936, and abandoned since the last Russian soldiers left in 1992.

Berlin was supposed to hold the Olympic Games in 1916, but these were abandoned due to the outbreak of the First World War two years previously.

In a bid to bring Germany back into the international fold after its defeat, the International Olympic Committee decided in 1931 that the games should take place in Berlin after all, 20 years after originally planned.

I’d say Hitler, who got into power two years later, couldn’t have believed his luck. What better stage does a zealous despot need to showcase his country’s grandeur and assert his individual might?

The Nazis also saw the benefits of mixing sport and politics, and they weren’t going to let the opportunity slip.

The Olympic Village was built on a 550,000 square meter site on land belonging to the Wehrmacht (German armed forces) to the east of existing military camps at Elstal and Elsgrund.

The Nazis, considerate souls that they were, ensured that all the constructed buildings would go back to the Wehrmacht after the games.

They spared no expense – they even had animals and waterfowl from the Berlin zoo relocated for the man-made lake. A wooden cabin with veranda provided sauna-fun at one end for the humans.

Abandoned 1936 Olympic village Berlin 1090086

Some 370,000 curious visitors came to see the site when it was open to the public between May 1 and June 15, 1936. Then more than 4,800 male athletes, coaches or advisors from some 50 countries moved in in July.

They were housed in 136 one-story bungalows. The 500 female athletes were housed at the Reichssportfeld, where the Olympiastadion was (and still is of course). Apparently the luxurious facilities proved a hit with the athletes. Only the constant military presence and shameless propaganda irked them a bit.

Leni Riefenstahl filmed athletes training here for the second part of her 1938 documentary ‘Olympia’ titled ‘Fest der Schönheit’ (Festival of Beauty). She seemed to take great pleasure in filming the naked men splashing about and showering.

The two-story Hindenburg Haus – named after the field marshal and German president Paul von Hindenburg, patron of the Games up to his death in 1934 –was the main administration center with its own theater/television exchange. It was here that the first tests were done on live TV transmissions.

The 1936 Olympics provided the first live sports broadcasts to the world via what would later become known as Tacheles .

The fun ran from August 1-16. After a ‘successful tournament,’ feted by the international press, the Olympic Village was renovated and handed over to the Wehrmacht.

The first soldiers moved in to what became the Infanterieschule Döberitz (Infantry School Döberitz) in December.

The huge Speisehaus der Nationen, which had 40 canteens to cater for the hungry athletes, was converted into a hospital, while the Hindenburg Haus became a school and lecture hall.

The Nazis got back to their pre-tournament ways and resumed their persecution of Jews and other groups.

Even before the tournament, they had forced several Jews out of German sports clubs and the national team. Part-Jewish fencer Helene Mayer was a notable exception, winning a silver Olympic medal for the country that persecuted her.

Olympic Village director Wolfgang Fürstner took his own life three days after the games ended. He had Jewish roots and learned he was to be dismissed from the Wehrmacht because he had been classified a Jew by the Nazis, so rather than face such humiliation, he shot himself with a pistol not far from the lake. The Nazis covered up his suicide to avoid unwelcome attention.

They got plenty of attention with the outbreak of war three years later, and were left to regret it when it ended nearly six years after that.

Abandoned 1936 Olympic village Berlin 1090101

The Soviets took over the Olympic Village and used it to house military personnel from the Döberitz barracks, also seized from the Germans. It was they who erected the Plattenbau buildings, huge empty shells of soulless apartments, long after the last athletes were gone.

It’s been abandoned since the last Russian soldiers left in 1992. Now the apartments are left to the wallpaper that still flaps on their walls. Flap, flap, flap! As if trying to talk to you.

My heart was in my mouth. Strange noises came from below me, then above; wood creaking, paper rustling, doors groaning, metal banging. Banging, banging, banging. Then I realized it was my heart. I closed my mouth so it wouldn’t jump out and proceeded cautiously.

I was captivated. Everywhere was fascinating dullness, mundane marvels; everywhere an unknown story desperate to be told. Who lived here? What did they do? Where are they now? Where did they buy their wallpaper? I never took so many pictures of wallpaper in my life.

What’s left of the original buildings are now under Denkmalschutz and beginning to look a bit healthier than they did before. Restoration is proceeding at a slow pace, restricted by a lack of money and unsuitability for lucrative apartments. It’s just that too far from Berlin, for now.

Outside I met someone as surprised to see me as I was to see him. A rabbit, he was probably used to having the whole Olympic Village to himself, hopping around, imagining every day that he’s Jesse Owens winning another four gold medals. We both froze and looked at each other. He twitched his nose and was gone, running as if going for another gold. Nothing inferior about his race either.

LOCATION AND ACCESS (HOW TO FIND GUIDE)

What: Olympic Village built for the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
Where: Elstal, Wustermark, Germany.
How to get there Well, you could cycle like I did from Berlin, but I don’t recommend it. Better to take the regional train to Elstal and walk or cycle from there. An ABC ticket will cover you if you don’t want to risk “schwarzfahren.” Here it is on a map .
Getting in: Go around to the other side away from the security and nosy guards, and just hop over the fence. Be careful! Or, and I write this with a heavy heart, you can actually visit it legitimately before Hallowe’en, paying €4 at the entrance to be allowed wander around at your own leisure . It’s not quite the same of course. You can do tours for €10 for access inside some of the buildings. Dogs are allowed if you think your dog would be interested. They don’t have to pay.
When to go: Anytime before dark, preferably when it’s not raining.
Difficulty rating: 4/10. Getting there is the main problem, but once you’re in, you’re laughing.
Who to bring: People who don’t mind the sound of wallpaper flapping.
What to bring: Camera. A few bottles of Sterni to break up the journey and/or toast your success on getting there. They’ll be warm once you arrive, but what the hell. Maybe bring a few snacks to nibble on too. Unlike the Olympics nowadays, there’s a surprising lack of catering stands in this abandoned village. I can’t recommend pistachios enough.
Dangers: The imagination tends to run away with itself when exploring on your own, so watch out for that. Strange noises and eerie silences make for tingly nerves, unless you’ve paid in of course, which will make it as exciting as a visit to the supermarket. Otherwise, keep an eye out for the security guards. They take their job pretty seriously here. I figured Christmas Day would be a safe day to visit with everyone at home pretending to be happy, but there they were, zooming up after spotting me at the swimming pool and giving chase in a car despite the snow. I ran like Jesse Owens and obviously lived to tale the tale.

Photos (2010)

Abandoned 1936 Olympic village Berlin 1080956

Photos (2014)

Abandoned 1936 Olympic village Berlin 2014 0383

Photos (2016)

Abandoned 1936 Olympic village Berlin 2016 6382

Filed 25/4/2010 | Updated 12/8/2016

More abandoned sports facilities

Sporthotel Hohenschönhausen

The Sporthotel und Kongresszentrum des Sportforums Hohenschönhausen is in a sorry state, beyond salvation, thrashed and abused. Not even drugs can help.

Blub was a swimming and leisure center with pools, slides and crazy stuff that was very popular before the rats noticed it too. Then it was a blubbering mess.

Strandbad Tegel

The abandoned status of Strandbad Tegel looks secure. Campaigners are trying so hard to reopen it that you can be sure it won’t be opening anytime soon.

58 Comments

Nice dig at the Brits. You poisonous “Irish” can’t help yourselves. I presume you are still upset your mates the Nazis lost after all these years? De Valera would have made a great Deputy Chancellor to Adolf I reckon.

Thanks for the comment Lennie. No need to put the Irish in inverted commas though. I can assure you they are a not a figment of your imagination. I also think it’s quite unfair to say they are poisonous. Have you ever eaten one? Very tasty with a sprig of parsley.

EH just a question Elstal BHF seems to be closer than spandau?

Yes! RE2 goes from Alexanderplatz. Well spotted!

Hey I think you should downgrade your schwerigkeit. Its not even hard to get there 🙂 Bus 663, 667 stays outside the main entrance (But dont go in that way Ithe guards are there …. Go around and hop ver by the motorway. and if you want to go trough the other side (less guards) 662 to some Kirchecommunity.

Schwerigkeit downgraded as advised. Thanks Robin!

Thanks for another great post.

Just a small update: The place operates as a ‘museum’. You can get in for 1 euro and walk around by yourself but then the only building you can get into is Jesse Owen’s. A guided tour is 4 euro, it’s about 2 hours and in German and you go into a couple of buildings which are locked. Nothing really special. The best sight was probably inside the Hindenburger building with a German WW2 wall of soldiers marching and a Soviet painting of Lenin. Using your camera costs 10 euro regardless of the tour choice. The buildings look pretty well boarded up and if you enter the site while they’re open you’re liable to run into a bunch of retired German tourists. I wouldn’t exactly call the guides for ‘guards’, though. It’s just a guy at the front-hut selling tickets and playing with his phone and then it was a woman conducting the tour 🙂

dkb-stiftung.de/web/Oeffnungszeiten_und_Fuehrungen_im_Olympischen_Dorf_von_1936.52.htm

Still, a great post and thanks again for the inspiration. Hope to see more in the future.

Wow, thanks for the update! I haven’t been out here since I wrote this post so any update on the current state of affairs is very much appreciated. Thanks again!

I notice tomorrow is the last day for the official tours, so I guess from Übermorgen, a bit of Betreten is called for again!

Interesting post!

I wish I had read it before I visited the place.

You might be interested to read my observations and see my photos here auftakt.blogspot.com/2011/10/1936-summer-olympic-village.html

Cheers Andie. Very interesting indeed. I didn’t know that about Speer Junior. Mad! Cool pics too.

Was here last week (Wednesday). Workmen all over the place unfortunately, esp. around the main pool, which they’re restoring. Jumped over anyway and started moving around discreetly but it was pointless – wouldn’t have gotten anywhere interesting without being seen/caught. Even thought about approaching workmen and slipping them some cash for some photos/look around but too many of them (at pool) + even if they were cool prob not worth their while due to insurance issues. Maybe on a Sunday is clearer, but that pool is obv. gonna be restored in no time. I cycled all the way too. Gah!

ps – great site man, thanks for putting it all together.

I am surprised no one has mentioned the little hidden sauna just inside the fence near the motorway.

hello – Im coming to berlin tomorrow (for a rather impulsively book holiday )- just wondering if anyone had been to this place recently? has it all been re-developed since this old post?

Hi, I´m a student from Rome. I’d like to do my final project in architecture on the Olympic Village in Berlin. Looking for information on internet, I found this interesting post. Do you know if the village is still partially abandoned? Could anyone tell me where could I find further information and more specific material (project drawings)? Thanks

Thanks for a great post. Do you know anything about the state of it now? I know that there are tours and such, but is there still construction work going on? Was thinking it might be better to go after the guided tours are finished, so late afternoon, but am unsure as to whether it’s best to go on a weekday or during the weekend, do you have an opinion on that?

I haven’t been there lately so can’t help you there I’m afraid. Best just to head out and see what you find!

I’m the last “Anonymous” who asked about the current state of the village. Finally went there today.

I found it super easy to get to (took the train to Elstal and then walked) but the fence was surprisingly high and with barbed wire. We luckily found a hole in the fence behind one of the construction sites opposite the red houses on the street called Zum Wasserwerk. Since we’d read that the “museum” closes at 4 on weekdays, we went there after that. The site was completely abandoned, there was no security at all. Some things have changed over the last couple of years though. The swimming pool has got a new building, though they’ve decided to preserve the inside so it still looks like it did in your pictures. The Hindenburg building, the swimming pool and Owens’ house all seemed as if they were open during the day if you’re willing to pay but we couldn’t get into them since they were locked with things blocking most of the windows.

It was definitely worth a visit. However, it felt more like walking around in a museum for the village than just walking around in an abandoned village as there were signs everywhere. It’s turning into quite a museum now I guess.

Love your site, keep up the great work! Andrea

I think better than blackmailing the museum, It’s rather good, cause it better be a museum than utterly destroyed by f*cking retards!

btw: Hi, nice site you got. I like reading your articles! Keep up the good work! I also live around Berlin, never been into urbex before, but for a beginner can you recommend me something please? I think its not really possible, but I like places which looks really much as they left and not attacked by vandalism. Thanks

Sorry about my english skills, I didnt meant “blackmailing”^^, what I mean is: “talking the museum bad”.

I think I know what you mean. You mean it’s better they preserve it than allow it to be trashed by vandals, right? Well, I agree – if that’s what you mean. As for untouched abandoned sites, they are few and far between I’m afraid. Vandals are omnipresent. I’ve yet to come across a place that hasn’t been touched by their mindless stupidity. Thanks for your comment(s)!

Yes thats what I think. Maybe they change the walls of the swimmhall with new paint, new tiles, but it will always be the same historic location which will look like the olympic games of 1936 was yesterday. It’s better than decay and high possible vandalism.

Which good places do you know? I would like to go to some place where you can see traces of war.

Wünsdorf-Waldstadt. The place is oozing history. There are broken bunkers, intact bunkers, museums, derelict sites and all manner of stuff to see. Parts of it are well-preserved too. You can do tours if you’re not into DIY.

I would rather do “DIY”. =D It would be cool if I can find a intact bunker, then I could make good use of my new 4000 lumen flashlight.^^

Do you know where to find one, or is there a map with the locations of all bunkers?

As a side note Wolfgang Furstner mentioned above is buried at the Invalidenfriedhof in Berlin. It has many historical figures from German history buried here.

Hi! We went there today and it is not abandoned anymore. Visit the Olympic Village cost 2€ and it looks like they are restaurating all the village. Anyway, it was a nice trip but soooo warm.

dkb-stiftung.de/Oeffnungszeiten_und_Fuehrungen_im_Olympischen_Dorf_von_1936.52.htm

There is now an association taking care of the site and a man at the gate regulating the entrances. You need to pay 2€ to enter but for this price you cannot/are not allowed to enter into the buildings. There are also guided tours for 5€ or so (only at specific hours) with which you can enter into some of the closed buildings (including the nice and sealed up ones like the swimming pool or canteen).

In many of the more trashed buildings you can actually enter, but the most famous ones (like the swimming pool, the kitchen and the sport hall) are closed and the association seems to be renovating them a bit so that they don’t get too trashed. The interest of the other buildings varies, overall it is not great but here and there you can find some interesting stuff

Have to agree with Lennie about the Irish/Nazis – nothing against the individual Irishmen who fought against tyranny, but what where the Government thinking of when they sent their message of sympathy to Doenitz on Hitlers death.

They were sticking to the line of Irish neutrality and diplomatic protocol. It was controversial at the time and remains so to this day. Not all agreed with it, much as you’d like to think to fit your preconceptions. And I am glad you’ve nothing against individual Irishmen who fought against tyranny. I’m sure they’ll be breathing a sigh of relief too.

We headed out there today but had to jump the fence because it’s closed in winter and doesn’t open until April. Easy to walk around but everything’s done up nice with signs and information boards. There ws a car patrolling around, so had to watch out for that and be a bit stealthy. Now that it’s a proper tourist site, jumping in feels sketchy.

We have been there in septembre the 27th, a beautiful day, nog knowing what to find but minding your post and your geusts that it might be restored, ….. and yes… it is restored…. we drove on the grasfield and a kind older gentleman in a kiosk came toward us to friendly ask us not to use DSLR camera’s …. so i was… dissapointed … but i could use the small G10 he said but keep it under your coat …. why? i asked… well a phototour is possibel beut only if you pay 40 euro’s … ok understoot… there we go.. a legal and not to impressed visit …. however glad we done it. You can find a impression of that visit on my Facebook, if you like facebook.com/exitthegrey/?ref=tn_tnmn But all credits go to this site wich we used as a guide, as most of our Berlin Urbex journey’s. So thanks! for this great site! We are already planning a new visit soon!

Regards from Ria exitthegrey.nl

Hi! I will be visiting Berlin soon and I came across your website. Just a quick question, are people allowed to visit this abandoned Olympic Village? How can I reach this place? If I take a taxi, will the driver take me here? Looking forward to your answer, thanks!

Irish berliner ..can you check out you mail i have send a message and i hope you reply..

A very interesting area… and my dog was very interested ;-)Very nice captures, Irish berliner! Many greetings! youtube.com/watch?v=Fbrx1t2Gn_U

How about just paying 1 euro to get in and help preserve a great place. There are good books about the willage to be bought by the entrance. I have taken tons of photoes there and had no problem.

I can see now, that it is 4 euro – but still a bargain. And I do not understand all this talk about security and hiding a camera under the coat etc. etc. – it is not an issue there. On the contrary it is vere nice, safe and solemn. A great place to visit.

Hi, is this place still open officially to visit?

Hi, thanks for the response, so if we pitch up tomorrow, we can pay to access and walk around the site?

Great article thanks champ!

Update august 2017.

At the main entrance, there is a poster saying ‘Das Olympische Dorf von 1936 ist NUR im Rahmen einer Sonderführung zu besichtigen. Es gibt keine regulären Öffnungszeiten mehr’. You can also find this on the website:

dkb-stiftung.de/Fuehrungen_im_Olympischen_Dorf_von_1936.52.htm

For some reason you cannot enter the Olympic Village anymore for a moderate fee. It even said you have to book tours at least 14 days ahead. Uhhgg.

If you follow the foot/bike path left from the main gate, you will find some good places to go in (where the fence disappears into the bush). Get in behind the last flat building, beside the Autobahn. It gets busy near the partly renovated swimming pool: guys on lawnmowers, cars driving around and such.

I’m glad I got to wander around for a long time there, but I’m a bit disappointed. If they’re going to close the place and take care of some buildings, at least share it with the public (for a small fee/donation/sterni/whatever). I’d still recommend going though!

I went there today. There was a gate standing open very close to the location given in the original article. As I walked further I quickly stumbled upon one of the guided tour groups that are walking around the site. At that moment I was enclosed by concrete buildings and obviously caught by surprise, however, I pretended to be part of their group and simply managed to walk away unnoticed shortly after. The swimming pool seems to be getting renovated as it looked fairly slick and was surrounded by guys mowing the grass. Unfortunately I couldn’t go inside because of that, but overall it’s definitely worth visiting!

What a beautiful site. I wish I had known about this before I traveled to Germany this summer. I would have loved to have had this information about the olympic village! I look forward to reading more about the abandoned sites of Germany! Thank you for sharing the stories and the beautiful pictures.

We went there yesterday and completely by chance run into “Tag des offenen Denkmals”. The site was open to visitors, but you could only along some paths so no random strolling allowed. On the plus side we got an amazing tour in English for free and learned what’s going to happen with the property.

Apparently DKB Stiftung sold some part of it to a real estate company – terraplan ( terraplan.de/) and they are renovating it and building houses – gold1936.berlin/. Naja.

When I was growing up, living in Berlin, I used to swim in the 1936 Olympics pool, which had been incorporated into one of the US Army caserns. It was a cavernous place, a little spooky. But what a place to swim and take life-saving lessons!

I hope that you keep these posts online – very good read – and very insightful!

I went there today (26. August 2019) with a friend . We found a way to get on top of the fence, if you continue the cycling path on the left of the main gate, there is somewhere where the fence is bent and the barbel wire is gone, so jumping over is easy .however, there were a lot of construction work going on : everywhere, cars , tractors, machines… Because we went on a Sunday , no one was at work but we saw a few builders staying on site (they have their temporary houses there) . We don’t know if they saw us but if they did, then they didn’t mind because no one came to talk to us .We found one building that has the amphitheatre with the Lenin picture that was interesting .all doors and windows of that building are sealed but we found one window where you can remove the panel quite easily. It is located on the right behind the big brick fire escape. Besides that building, the rest was just abandonned residential buildings with very few interest and the main site of the village is already destroyed and being worked on. The swimming pool is gone .We were quite disappointed and would say it was not worth the train ride from Berlin .going there a few years earlier would have been awesome.

Went there today. Loads of families walking around the outskirts, attempted to go inside a building and was stopped by a land surveyor working on a Sunday 😑 got some cool shots of the outside but most of it is fenced off. Maybe another day would be better without any workers there.

Thanks Sarah! I was chased by a security there on Christmas Day, so I think you just need to be careful whenever you go!

Just went in. Northern side (close to the train station) many places to enter. Easiest from the motorway probably. One area is under construction. Eventually some car came, guy came out, chased us, we ran off and got away. Decided to cross the motorway via the bridge. The Olympic area there was much calmer. Almost all houses accessible. Even can get to the roof of one of the towers. Workers are there somewhere in the distance. We saw some dude walking by from the building. So just stay away from the roads and you should be fine here.

That Southern side seems to be the old military camp Döberitz though. But still very interesting. Olympic village itself: Not much to do or see there at the moment, unless you join a tour I guess.

We went yesterday and had a great time. Its true the swimmingpool is gone and they are working in the middle at the Haus der Nationen, but all the other buildings and the gym is still there. Afterwards we went for a short trip to the old soviet military camp (Löwen-Adler-Kaserne) on the other side of the highway (easy to get in) T.

Its amazing. I was part of the british forces that worked there after1992 removing anything that could be sold at auction. I remember finding a car left in the garages in the photo above. The place was stunning then wow look at it now.

hallo guys! is still possible to visit? im coming in a few days end july 2023. Can you hel pme to know if is possible?

We were there last weekend and luckily no guards to chase us. There is still more than one spot to cross the fence and get in. The pool is intact, there is a way in, which I won’t describe here, let it be a fun game for anyone who wants to attempt it. The gymnastics hall is closed and used as a storage, I wouldn’t attempt to break in there, there might be security alarms around it. One of the barracks is easily accessible through a low broken window, the rest were locked. The Hindenburghaus is completely closed off, even that lose window mentioned in 2019 is properly nailed closed. Another building is accessible, but nothing special to see there except for demolished small apartment/hotel room blocks. Most of the semi circular buildings are either converted into apartment blocks or are in the process of that. Still, I would say the pool hall was a very cool thing to see and worth the trip there. I was under the impression that there are some kind of tours going on, that haven’t been held for a while now. Maybe if such tour takes place, one could get into the gymnastics hall or the Hindenburghaus.

And an update to myself: just checked the DKB Stiftung page where they advertise the guided tours and it looks like this place is no longer a museum or offers any tours since 2019. Maybe that explains the lack of guards..

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