In Lilienthal Park, starting in 1894, aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal wrote an important chapter in global aviation history by repeatedly and boldly launching himself down a small, artificially mounded hill.
Let’s follow in Lilienthal’s footsteps in Berlin! From his first observations of birds as a child to his tragic end, trapped in his flying machine. And if you want to go even further (maybe even all the way to the stars), then be sure to check out this fantastic concert!
Pioneer Otto Lilienthal: A Life Dedicated to Flight
Born in Anklam (near the Baltic Sea) in 1848, Lilienthal was already fascinated by the flight of storks from a young age, along with his brother Gustav. In doing so, he came to a realization: It is not mere muscle power, but the curved shape of a bird’s wings that generates lift.
In his work *Bird Flight as the Basis of the Art of Flying* (1889), Lilienthal—a mechanical engineer—later described the aerodynamics that form the foundation of aircraft design . His goal was to control his flight path by shifting his body’s center of gravity so that he could achieve a controlled and safe flight.
The Worldwide Sensation and the Icarus Flight
Since Lilienthal needed a decent launch height for his daring experiments, he had a 15-meter-high cone of spoil piled up on the grounds of a brickworks. From this mini-mountain, he soared through the air up to 80 meters during over 1,000 test flights. An absolute sensation at the time, it made headlines around the world.
In 1896, Lilienthal was caught in a sun gust during a flight in Stölln in the Havelland region and subsequently died in the accident. Afterward, people wanted to honor his legacy appropriately. So, in the 1930s, the city decided to transform the area into a memorial park.
An idyllic spot away from the hustle and bustle of Berlin
The park surrounding the Fliegeberg is a peaceful place these days, perfect for a stroll. Climb the former launch hill and, once you reach the top, discover a bronze globe beneath a disc-shaped hall that serves as a lasting memorial to Otto Lilienthal.
If you’re driving, it’s bestto park on the residential streets surrounding Schütte-Lanz-Straße. If you ’re taking public transportation, head to the Osdorfer Straße S-Bahn station—the park is just a short walk away.
📍 Schütte-Lanz-Straße 43, 12209 Berlin
📆 Open year-round, 24/7
⏳ About 30 minutes for the park and the memorial
💵 Free
ℹ️ More info about the memorial
