Berlin and Brandenburg are home to some of the most iconic airports in the world, with a rich history that spans both military and civilian use. From the early days of aviation to the modern era of air travel, these airports have played a crucial role in shaping the region's history and identity such as the Flugplatz Oranienburg and Flugplatz Rangsdorf.
Many of these airports (though to be technically correct, airports, air bases, and airfields) were built during the early 20th century, as Germany sought to establish itself as a global military power in the field of aviation. They were used by both military and civilian aircraft, serving as important hubs for transportation and defense. During World War II, many of these airports were heavily damaged or destroyed, and some were even used as prisoner-of-war camps. All in all, over 70 military aviations sites were built or expanded on between 1934 and 1945.
After the war, the majority of military airports around Berlin and Brandenburg fell into the hands of the occupying soviet military, who repurposed them and often expanded them for their own use. After the german reunification, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the final withdrawal of the former Soviet Troops from Germany - the majority of these airports were left abandoned, as the now unified Germany had no military or civilian use for them.
Today, these abandoned airports stand as eerie reminders of the region's past, with their crumbling runways and decaying buildings serving as a testament to the many lives that were touched by the decades of their military history.
Join us as we explore the abandoned military and civilian airports in Berlin and Brandenburg, uncovering the secrets of their past and sharing the stories of the people who built and used them. Whether you're a history buff, an aviation enthusiast, or simply someone who loves to explore lost places, you're sure to find something fascinating on our website.
Our list of abandoned airports is far from complete, but be sure to check back on a regular basis - or sign up to our Newsletter and stay up to date whenever we explore a new abandoned airport in Berlin and Brandenburg.
Flugplatz Schwerin Görries
Wedged in between two busy roads and hidden by trees and blackberry bushes, lie the remnants of Dutch-German aviation history dating back over 110 years. The Flugplatz Schwerin Görries in […]
Flugplatz Alt Daber (Wittstock/Dosse)
This article is also available in: Deutsch While we are avid rail travel enthusiast and avoid flying whenever possible – we have an almost unhealthy attraction to abandoned airports. East Germanys […]
Flugplatz Werneuchen
While the German Air Force was demobilized after the end of the first world war, and eventually dissolved as a condition under the treaty of versailles in 1920 – the […]
NVA Flugplatz Löpten
While the German Luftwaffe had 70 military air bases and airfields spread around Berlin and Brandenburg alone at the end of World War II, the newly created Air Force of […]
The Avro Lancaster Crash Site
The year 1944 was the single most destructive year for both the RAF and USAAF during the strategic bombing of Germany. Combined, over 900 thousand tons of bombs were dropped […]
Flugplatz Rangsdorf
Berlin and its immediate surroundings have always been at the forefront of german aeronautical innovation and are steeped in history. Germany’s first Airport opened in (the now Berlin district of) […]
Berlins Abandoned Boeing 707
Berlin and its Airports – a never-ending saga. First they killed off Berlins most central Airport, Tempelhof in 2008, then they wanted to expand Schönefeld and close down Tegel in […]
The Abandoned Helicopter
Wedged between some trees in a little forest stands a stripped Soviet helicopter. A Mil Mi-8 to be exact. As rumors have it, the Mil Mi-8 was pushed as a […]
Flugzeughallen Karlshorst
Berlin-Karlshorst has always had a long history in aviation. Between 1907 and 1911, Georg Wilhelm von Siemens ordered the construction of the first rotating Airship Hangar on a plot of land in […]
Flugplatz Oranienburg
Oranienburg is one of those German Cities whose not so distant history casts a very dark shadow over it. It was home to not one, but two Concentration Camps – […]
Urbex Brandenburg: Adolf Hitler Lager / Forst Zinna - Avro Lancaster Crash Site - Bramo - Zümo Werk - Bunker Wünsdorf Zeppelin | Maybach I - Chemiewerk Rüdersdorf - The Artillerie Kaserne - Flugabwehr-Raketenabteilung 4123 - Flugplatz Alt Daber - Flugplatz Löpten - Flugplatz Rangsdorf - Carinhall - Fürstenbergs Soviet Murals - Gasthof zum Schwarzen Adler - Gut Gentzrode - Heeresbekleidungsamt Bernau - Jagdschloss Schwarzhorn - Kaserne Krampnitz - Kraftwerk Vogelsang - Lager Koralle - Lenin Bust Fürstenberg - Mars La Tour Kaserne Fürstenwalde - NVA Lazarettbunker - Olympiastadion Wünsdorf - Panzerkaserne Bernau - Papiermühle Wolfswinkel - Sanatorium E - The Stasi Hotel - Truppenübungsplatz Döberitz - Twin Villas Fürstenwalde - Abandoned Soviet Training Tank - Villa Bogensee - Flugplatz Werneuchen
Urbex Oranienburg: The SS Bath and Boiler House - Flugplatz Oranienburg - Funkbunker Karo Ass - Heilstätte Grabowsee - Munitionsdepot Oranienburg - SS-Hundeschule Sachsenhausen - The SS Hundertschaftsgebäude - Veruschsstelle für Höhenflüge
Urbex Germany: Flugplatz Schwerin Görries - Hotel Fürstenhof - Kernkraftwerk Greifswald - Kurhotel Zippendorf - Tank Cemetery Aachen - The Machine Factory - The Nail Factory - The Textile Factory - Rapunzel’s Tower - The Soviet Helicopter - The White Castle - Weißen Häuser Rechlin
Urbex France: L’église du Bon-Pasteur
Urbex Hungary: Párizsi Udvar
Urbex Poland: Fort Zorndorf
Urbex Italy: Il Grande Cretto di Gibellina - Tonnara del Secco