A monument to times gone by – and at the same time a futuristic architectural wonder. Closed down for years, the ICC Berlin congress center is considered one of the capital’s most iconic lost places. From September 12 to 14, 2025, the otherwise inaccessible building will open its doors for exactly 49 hours as part of a special exhibition. While abandoned sanatoriums in the surrounding areas of Berlin served as the film set for “The Pianist” or places such as the Forbidden City and “Little Moscow” hold relics of the GDR era for Lost Place fans, this time you can immerse yourself in one of the most impressive buildings of post-war modernism in the middle of the city. 200,000 square meters – the equivalent of 28 soccer pitches – and construction costs in the billions are just the beginning.
The ICC Berlin
Regular access to the congress center in the west of the city, which has been closed for years,has been prohibited since 2014 due to asbestos contamination. However, the “49h ICC” event now offers a rare opportunity for the curious and architecture enthusiasts to explore the iconic building from the inside. Although the building has been used temporarily in between – for example for the art exhibition “The Sun Machine Is Coming Down” in 2021 or as a vaccination center and refugee accommodation – this time, for the first time, the focus is on the architecture itself.
From Friday, September 12, 2025, at 5 p.m. to Sunday, September 14, 2025, at 7:30 p.m., it will be possible to visit the ICC in its original state, including the exhibition, free of charge. For exactly 49 hours, visitors can stroll through the originally preserved interior of this impressive monument. Tickets are free and entitle the holder to a 1.5-hour visit.
Architecture & building
The ICC Berlin impresses with a total area of over 200,000 square meters, spread over 313 meters long, 89 meters wide and around 40 meters high. The monumental building was constructed between 1975 and 1979; its grand opening took place on April 2, 1979. The available space is enormous: the ICC has a total of around 80 secondary rooms and two large main halls. Hall 1, with up to 5,000 seats, was the largest contiguous event hall in Germany at the time. Hall 2 offers around 4,000 seats. For large events, the building could accommodate up to 20,000 people in total. Of the impressive total area, around 30,000 square meters can actually be used for events.
The construction costs for this technically and architecturally complex project amounted to over 924 million German marks – adjusted for inflation, this corresponds to several billion euros today. With its visionary design, state-of-the-art infrastructure and unmistakable aesthetics, the ICC has won several awards – including the title of “Best Convention Centre of the Year” between 1984 and 1986. Between 2004 and 2009, it also regularly received the prestigious World Travel Award as the leading convention center in Europe and the world. The ICC Berlin has been a listed building since 2019 – as one of the most striking architectural testimonies to post-war modernism in West Germany.