Here we go again, being dorks and acting like little kids. But we can’t help it. We love history, we love mystery and this post has oodles of it. Imagine being able to wander around an abandoned airport, all by yourself to run around like the little kid that we know you are. Well, Fred Mills, the owner-operator of the always excellent B1M on YouTube has unearthed another mystery, Berlin’s Abandoned airport. What?? you say? Don’t be surprised, there are so many examples of this kind of behavior around the world (Fred has a load of them) and, perhaps hidden under bushes or in trees, you can be sure that there are more for you to explore.
Before we start: how many of you fall in love with airports? That’s what I thought. Not many, but the Germans feel a little different. Germany’s beloved, iconic Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL)—famous for its
hexagonal design and incredibly short walking distances from the taxi to the gate—officially closed down after decades of service. Because Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) suffered a legendary decade of construction delays, Tegel had to stay open far longer than intended, operating at nearly ten times its original design
capacity. egel had to stay open far longer than intended, operating at nearly ten times its original design capacity. The timeline of its closure and its ambitious current transformation include the following major updates: The Final Flight: Commercial operations officially ended on November 8, 2020. In a poetic nod to history, the final commercial flight out was an Air France flight to Paris—the exact same airline that had operated the very first commercial flight into Tegel in 1960.
We’ll come clean here: we love “historical” airports because, to us anyway, they’re living, breathing examples just why some buildings should be loved, revered and celebrated. If you ever have a chance to visit a place like this, or one similar (they’re everywhere) park the car. Bring a picnic basket, place yourself under a tree and listen to what the wind tells you. This may be your last chance at being with living, breathing history.
Finally, here’s a bit of good news. You can visit the grounds of the former Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL). While all commercial flight operations ceased in late 2020, the historic site has been transformed into an urban research and tech hub. You can visit the former airport using the following options: The Infocenter: You can drop by the Infocenter to view an interactive digital exhibition explaining the future redevelopment project known as Berlin TXL – Urban Tech Republic. Guided Site Tours: You can book guided group tours to explore the iconic hexagonal terminal building and the broader grounds.
The good new is that The 500-hectare site is currently undergoing one of Europe’s largest urban development projects, managed by the state-owned Tegel Projekt GmbH. Because the airport is heavily integrated into Berlin’s identity, the famous brutalist hexagonal terminal building and the original runways are under monument protection and will not be demolished. Instead, the area is being carved into two main initiatives. The Campus: The Berliner Hochschule für Technik (formerly Beuth University of Applied Sciences) is taking over the iconic hexagonal terminal building, converting the old gate areas into a modern university campus for up to 10,000 students.
Innovation Hub: The rest of the park is being built out to house up to 1,000 clean-tech and “Smart City” startups, focusing on e-mobility, green energy, and sustainable construction. Huzzah!
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