It is always an experience when you stand in front of the mighty pillars of the State Collection of Antiquities on Königsplatz in Munich. However, an equally impressive structure is currently being built directly in front of the classicist monument, albeit of lesser historical importance and only of a temporary nature. A beach volleyball stadium for 5000 spectators is currently being built from steel and wood, three climbing walls up to 18 meters high are being built in front of the Propylaea and three more beach volleyball courts are being built next to and behind the Glyptothek, which should give visitors pleasure for eleven days .
That is when the European Championships will take place in the state capital from August 11th to 21st. More than 4,700 athletes will compete for 177 sets of medals in nine Olympic sports, according to the organizer.
The competition locations are spread all over Munich: beach volleyball and climbing at Königsplatz, road cycling and the athletics disciplines marathon and walking with start and finish at Odeonsplatz, track cycling in an exhibition hall in Riem, rowing and canoeing on the rowing regatta course in Oberschleißheim, table tennis in the Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle at the Westpark, gymnastics in the Olympic Hall, athletics in the Olympic Stadium as well as mountain biking, BMX freestyle and triathlon in the Olympic Park.
50 years after the Olympic Games, the city can still benefit from the sports facilities that are still intact and partially renovated and beautified. Rarely has the concept of sustainability been implemented so effectively at such a powerful event.
Timber construction work in the exhibition center: This is where the track cycling competitions will take place.
(Photo: Marc Müller/European Championships)
The competitions should be brought to the people, as Championships spokesman Manuel Deutschmeyer explains: “We don’t want isolated competitions, we want high-class sport close to the people.” In addition to the freely accessible parade grounds in the center of Munich, the focus is logically on the Olympic Park.
On the Olympiaberg, for example, a specialist company is modeling a rapid descent towards the lake with steep curves and jumps made of the natural materials wood, stone and clay, while at another point on the circuit the bikers have to struggle steeply up again. The triathletes will first crawl through the Olympic Lake before they get on their bikes, do a few laps and finally run through the Olympic Park to the finish. A little further on, the BMX freestylers will determine the continental champions on their course.
Everything is freely accessible, only to see the gymnasts in the Olympic Hall or the track and field athletes in the stadium, you will not be able to avoid tickets. There is a 360-degree display in the hall, which means that the award ceremonies take place in the middle and the equipment is set up all around, i.e. closer to the spectators. In the stadium, a turf was laid next to a new tartan track, which despite the high temperatures is Wimbledon-level. The lights have been switched to LED and there is a cable camera from the stadium roof up to the top of the Olympic hill promising unique images.
A new tartan track and turf were laid in the Olympic Stadium.
(Photo: Marc Müller/European Championships)
But the park has much more to offer: The “The Roofs” festival is a symbiosis of sport, music and culture. Visitors can let themselves drift through the park in nine self-sufficient worlds of experience with their own focal points, named “Roofs” in reference to the world-famous tent roof construction. This goes from the home roof with a beer garden and Bavarian folklore alongside the BMX course to the art roof with floating container studios on the Olympic Lake.
Music stars like Marteria and Wanda perform with free entry
The main stage was built in front of the lawn steps in the Olympiasee. Top-class music acts such as Marteria, Wanda, Beatsteaks and Alphaville perform there, where admission is also free, and track and field athletes are also honored there. According to reports, the winners will be chauffeured from the stadium to the lake, where they will be driven to the stage by an Isar raft. Because Bavarian customs are one of those topics that are repeatedly addressed at the championships.
There is also top-class sport on the Olympic regatta course in Oberschleißheim, from mobile grandstands the spectator can watch rowing, canoe races and the para-competitions. As is the Golden Beach Roof where visitors can try action sports or just relax. The 16 Paralympic competitions are an integral part of the multi-sport event and are included in the official medal table. As in Oberschleißheim, you also have to buy tickets if you want to see the European Table Tennis Championships in the Rudi-Sedlmayer Hall in the Westpark.
Walking, road cycling and marathons: the grandstands in front of the Odeonsplatz can be used free of charge, it is advisable to be there in good time.
(Photo: Marc Müller/European Championships)
At the Königsplatz, the two young sports of beach volleyball and climbing are intended to appeal to a young audience in particular. 2,500 tons of sand are available for this purpose, which has a special grain size so that it does not become hard when it rains. Incidentally, the same will then be used on other beach facilities, which is part of the sustainability concept that the city has committed itself to. The competitions can be seen on the freely accessible Königsplatz up to the respective final days (so far only the beach final days have been sold out) without tickets.
The start-finish area on Leopoldstrasse in front of Odeonsplatz is also impressive; cyclists, walkers and marathon runners will pass this several times. The grandstands offer space for 2500 spectators and are free of charge. It is therefore advisable to be there on time. But there is also space for this on the routes, the marathon runners, for example, pass almost all of the classic Munich sights on their ten-kilometer lap – from Marienplatz, Isartor to Friedensengel and the English Garden. After the elite, the hobby runners are allowed to venture onto the course, sightseeing in fast forward, what an experience.