Radrennbahn Weißensee

The Weißensee Cycling Track (Radrennbahn Weißensee) was a major sports venue in Berlin's Weißensee district, built in 1954 and 1955 on the grounds of a historic harness racing track. Designed by architect Karl August Borchardt, the concrete oval measured 333 meters and had room for 9,000 spectators. Thousands of volunteers from Berlin's cycling clubs helped with construction, which used rubble from wartime destruction. After its ceremonial opening in September 1955, the facility, which for a time bore the name Gerhard-Purann-Arena, hosted numerous cycling competitions, including East German championships and the Große Osterpreis (Grand Easter Prize). Equestrian and show jumping tournaments were later held here as well.

In the late 1980s, the site became one of the most important music venues in East Germany. Large open-air festivals and concerts drew crowds of thousands and tens of thousands. The best-known performances included the 1988 Berlin Youth Peace Week with international acts such as The Wailers and James Brown, as well as Bruce Springsteen's legendary concert that same year. Officially billed as a concert for Nicaragua, the event drew an immense crowd and is considered one of the artist's biggest live performances. Even after the fall of the Berlin Wall, bands such as the Rolling Stones and Tina Turner used the grounds for major shows, before the last big festival took place in August 1990.

Today, the original oval track and the grandstands no longer exist, as they were demolished in the late 1990s. The site on Rennbahnstraße now houses a diverse sports complex. You'll find baseball fields, a small soccer stadium, a running track, and additional facilities for field hockey, volleyball, and archery. There is also a skate park and a traffic education course for children. The complex is used by various clubs, and the grounds are also home to the 49th Elementary School of Berlin-Pankow.