Munich: Olympic Tower closes for two years - the city has to dig deep into its pockets

Created: 12/14/2021, 9:53 PM

From: Klaus Vick

Getting on in years: The Olympic Tower was opened in 1968 and is now in dire need of renovation.

Construction work, which will cost more than 40 million euros, is to begin in mid-2023.

© Martin Hangen / imago

The Olympic tower in Munich has to close for two years.

The ravages of time are gnawing at the building.

City must invest more than 40 million euros.

Munich - The Olympic Tower will probably remain closed for two years from mid-2023 to mid-2025.

The reason for this is the imperative to renovate the structure.

Actually, the topic should be discussed on Wednesday in the general assembly of the city council.

Due to unanswered questions about financing, the matter is postponed again.

Olympic Tower - no alternative to renovation

In any case, the renovation is expensive.

For the variant recommended by the supervisory board of Olympiapark München GmbH (OMG), it amounts to 43.8 million euros.

The other two alternatives examined would not be cheaper either, and they would even result in an even longer closure.

The city's economic advisor Clemens Baumgärtner (CSU) believes that there is no alternative to the renovation: “The Olympic Tower is a landmark in Munich and every cent is well invested,” he says.

The Olympic Tower - Munich's tallest building

The 291 meter high structure was opened in 1968.

It is an architectural monument as well as a vantage point that is heavily frequented by tourists and Munich residents.

On peak days, 18,000 visitors come, more than a million a year.

The attractions of the Olympic Tower are, in addition to the viewing platform, a revolving restaurant at a height of 181 meters and the rock museum.

The Rock Museum in the Olympic Tower closes on December 31st.

Olympic tower: fire protection, concrete and elevators have to be renewed

However, the ravages of time take its toll. The redevelopment concept was worked out by the municipal utilities. And it says that the safe continuation of operations depends to a large extent on the timely implementation of safety-relevant issues. This includes fire protection as well as elevator and concrete renovation. A core element is, for example, a new evacuation concept in the event of a fire. The possibility of escape should no longer be via the steep and narrow stairs, but via new evacuation elevators. The two fire alarm panels will also be renewed. The concrete walls in the elevator shaft are also in need of renovation; the existing elevators have exceeded their technical lifespan, which increases the risk of breakdowns. The restaurant's kitchen technology is also out of date.

The fact that the renovation will not start next year has to do with the fact that the tower is part of the big celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Olympics.

The Olympic Park is celebrating its anniversary.

However, OMG does not want to start construction work later than 2023, because otherwise there would be a longer overlap with the renovation of the Olympic Stadium, which is also planned.

The municipal utilities also warn: "Any delay in the renovation reduces operational reliability and increases the cost risk."

The Olympic Tower is a landmark in Munich and is pretty dilapidated.

© Marcus sleep

Mega refurbishment is also planned in the Olympic Stadium

Incidentally, the renovation of the Olympic Stadium is - as of now - planned from October 2024 to May 2026 and will also result in its closure.

The cost estimate here is at least 130 million euros.

Concerts in the Olympic Stadium are legendary.

There are spectacular photos of the Olympic Tower from Rammstein (June 10, 2019).

By the way: An Upper Bavarian recently set a world record for stairs in the Olympic Tower.

You can read more news from Munich here.

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