Velodrom, Multi-purpose hall and velodrome in Prenzlauer Berg, Germany.
The Velodrom is a multi-purpose hall with a cycling track in Prenzlauer Berg, set beneath a wide-spanning steel roof measuring 142 meters in diameter. Inside, a 250-meter wooden track runs around the oval center, while tiered seating for up to 12,000 visitors rises all around.
French architect Dominique Perrault designed the facility in 1997 as part of Berlin's bid for the 2000 Summer Olympics, which ultimately was not successful. After completion the hall has been used for cycling, concerts and other events.
The annual Six-Day Race brings professional cyclists and a party-like program together, while spectators sit close to the track and experience the mix of sport and entertainment. On other evenings the interior transforms into a concert arena or sports hall, depending on which event is currently running.
The hall sits directly at Landsberger Allee station and is easily reached via the circle line from central Berlin. Visitors should note that seating arrangements vary by event and access is designed to be barrier-free.
The building sits partly underground, so the wooden-paneled roof is set into an elevated plateau and the size of the interior is hardly visible from outside. Anyone approaching sees at first only a gently curved surface, which reveals its true dimension only upon entering.
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