Archaeologists reveal secrets: relics of the old ice stadium in Mannheim!

Archaeologists reveal secrets: relics of the old ice stadium in Mannheim!

Mannheim, Deutschland - in Mannheim a lot is currently happening on the site of the old ice stadium at the Friedrichspark. The demolition of this former ice hockey temple, which once housed the Mannheim eagles, began in July 2022 and should actually be completed earlier. But as life plays, there are always unexpected delays. A new date for the demolition is still pending, since the start due to species protection measures extends in length, such as rheinpfalz.de Incidentally, the original opening date of the stadium went back to 1939.

But what do the construction workers do while waiting for the demolition? They dig and discover a real land of milk and honey on historical finds. The head of the archaeological monument preservation of the Reiss-Engelhorn Museums, Klaus Wirth, expressed enthusiastic and described the construction site as a "true treasure trove". In the course of the work, underground structures were found, among other things, which indicate a basement room of the first ice stadium from 1938. This was finally destroyed in an air raid in 1943, which has left its traces to this day, such as swr.de in detail.

discoveries from the past

The finds on the premises are really amazing. In addition to old walls, building rubble, bottle closures, tiles, light switches and sockets were discovered, some of them even with lettering that they combine with regional companies of the time. "The finds document life in Mannheim between 1880 and 1960," says Wirth. These discoveries offer a unique insight into the past of the city and make the heart of everyone interested in history beat faster.

However, there will be no exhibition on these discoveries for the time being, since the amount of finds is classified as too small and incomplete. All objects have already been carefully cleaned, recorded and photographed before they are transferred to the museum depot.

The future of the site

The site, which is currently serving as an archaeological site, will in future be available to the University of Mannheim for the construction of an IT and data center. The move -in is planned for 2027, as the plans and the course of the demolition work show. Who would have thought that the ice stadium, once a place for sporty heroic deeds, will turn into a technical center in the future? It remains exciting what will develop in the coming years!