Berlin’s Tempelhofer Feld is a massive public park where you can cycle and skate on former Cold War runways.

Tempelhof Airport officially ceased flight operations on October 30, 2008, following a decision by the Berlin Senate to consolidate air traffic. The site covers approximately 355 hectares, making it significantly larger than the 202-hectare sovereign state of Monaco. In 2010, the city reopened the grounds as a public park, preserving the massive runways that played a central role in the 1948-1949 Berlin Airlift.During the Airlift, Western Allied planes landed at Tempelhof every 90 seconds to deliver food and fuel to West Berliners during the Soviet blockade. The park's preservation is legally protected by the 'Tempelhof Law,' which was passed after a 2014 public referendum where 64.3% of voters rejected residential development on the site. This legal status ensures the area remains an open space for the public and local wildlife.Beyond recreation, the park acts as a critical 'cold-air window' for Berlin's urban planning. The vast, unbuilt surface allows fresh air to circulate and cool the surrounding densely populated neighborhoods, such as Neukölln and Kreuzberg. This helps mitigate the 'urban heat island effect,' where city temperatures rise significantly higher than rural areas due to concrete and human activity.The field is also an important ecological site, hosting over 100 species of birds, including the endangered skylark. Scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research have studied the area to understand how urban biodiversity thrives in such large open landscapes. Today, the park stands as a unique example of adaptive reuse, blending Cold War history with modern environmental sustainability.