Adolf Hitler's National Socialists came to power in 1933, and immediately inaugurated, or took over, many large building projects in and around Berlin. "Germania" was the name for the planned new capital of Hitler's "Thousand Year Reich" -- a Berlin with a new centre constructed around a huge triumphal north-south avenue. This was intended to intersect the already constructed East-West Axis (now the Straße des 17. Juni) at a point just west of the Brandenburg Gate. The architect was Albert Speer.

Although the plans for the 1936 Olympic Games had been already well-advanced under the Weimar Republic, with Hitler's direct encouragement the Nazis made them their own. This included the new Olympia-Stadion (Olympic Stadium) and related facilities. Located on the western outskirts of the city, the central arena and the buildings surrounding it were solidly built and, despite much heavy fighting, survived World War II relatively unscathed.

The complex has been recently (2004-5) undergoing a thorough restoration and upgrading. 

The main entrance from the east, with the Preußenturm and Bayernturm (Prussia and Bavaria Towers).

The interior of the restored stadium, looking west, with the Glockenturm (Bell Tower).
The roofs are new. I intended this photo to be reminiscent of the end of the classic film "Mephisto"!

The ground-level arcade of the Olympic Stadium. A Roman Colosseum for the 20th century and beyond.

Two of the characteristically rather homoerotic statues that the Nazis were so fond of erecting....
Left is "The Discus Throwers" and right is "The Relay Runners."

The Glockenturm, still being restored in 2005.

A year later, restoration was complete. It is a fascinating place to visit. It is possible to see the gigantic supporting girders that underpin the tower, as well as ride right to the top in a glass-walled lift. (See the Berlin Panoramas page for photos.) The tall windows on the first floor illuminate the Langemarckhalle -- a memorial to soldiers who died in the battle for the Belgian village of Langemarck in 1914 during the invasion of that neutral country.

Interior of the Lanemarckhalle. Although the entire complex appears to have been constructed from solid stone, behind the scenes concrete and steel were used. The concrete ceiling can be clearly seen.

The Glockenturm seen from across the Maifeld, which lies between the Stadium and the tower itself. Used as a parade ground, its restoration is not yet complete.

The original Olympic Bell was damaged in 1945 and is now located on the south side of the stadium. (Its swastikas have been partly filled in!) This new bell, but without the Nazi symbols, replaced it after the tower was rebuilt after severe war damage.

This vast office building is on the Potsdamer Straße. It is shown as a new building on plans for Germania, although it would have been located some distance to the west of the north-south avenue.

The biggest surviving building of them all -- constructed for Hermann Göring's Air Ministry on the Wilhelmstraße. It survived World War II to be used by the former DDR government. It now houses the Bundesministerium der Finanzen (Federal Finance Ministry).

This is the former Reichsbank, now used by the Auswärtigesamt (Foreign Office). The new part of the Foreign Office is the white building to the right, which matches the older one in scale.

The Nazi eagle has survived on this late 1930's office building in Friedrichstraße.

Part of the huge building built for Joseph Goebbels' Propaganda Ministry is still standing and in use in Mauerstraße.

The Haus des Rundfunks ("Broadcasting House") was actually completed during the time of the Weimar Republic (1919-33). This photo was taken from the top of the Funkturm (Radio Tower) across Masurenallee.

Sophie-Charlotte-Platz, a couple of miles west of the Olympic Stadium along the Kaiserdamm. While the building is interesting, the photo shows the streetlights -- designed by Albert Speer. Kaiserdamm formed a continuation of Hitler's great
East-West Axis (now Straße des 17. Juni -- 17th June Street).