Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium[2][a] formerly known as the Estadi de Montjuïc and Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc and also known in English as the Barcelona Olympic Stadium,[3][4] is a stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Originally built in 1927 for the 1929 International Exposition in the city (and Barcelona's failed bid for the 1936 Summer Olympics, which were awarded to Berlin), it was renovated in 1989 to be the main stadium for the 1992 Summer Olympics[5] and 1992 Summer Paralympics. It is used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Barcelona since the 2023–24 season, due to the renovation of their regular ground, the Camp Nou. The stadium is named after Lluís Companys, the president of Catalonia during the Spanish Civil War.
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| Former names | Estadi de Montjuïc (1929–85) Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc (1989–2001) |
|---|---|
| Location | Pg. Olímpic, 17-19 |
| Owner | Barcelona City Council |
| Operator | Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (B:SM) |
| Capacity | 55,926 [1] |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1927 |
| Opened | 20 May 1929 |
| Renovated | 1985–89 |
| Architect | Pere Domènech i Roura |
| Tenants | |
| Barcelona Dragons (1991–92, 1995–2002) Espanyol (1997–2009) Barcelona (2023–present) | |
| Website | |
| estadiolimpic | |
With its current capacity of 54,367 seats[1] (67,007 during the 1992 Olympics), it is the sixth-largest stadium in Spain and the second largest in Catalonia.
The stadium is located in the Anella Olímpica, on Montjuïc, a hill to the southwest of the city that overlooks the harbor.
History
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Designed by architect Pere Domènech i Roura for the 1929 Expo, the stadium was officially opened on 20 May 1929. The opening ceremonies included Spain's first official rugby international game against Italy, and a friendly football match between the Catalan national team and Bolton Wanderers, which the Catalan team won by a shocking score of 4–0 with goals from Josep Samitier (2), Martí Ventolrà and Manuel Parera.[6]
It was meant to host the People's Olympiad in 1936, a protest event against the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, but the event had to be canceled due to the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.
In the fifties, the stadium was the centerpiece of the 1955 Mediterranean Games, and in 1957 it hosted the only national football cup final between Barcelona and Espanyol, the two local clubs.
In the seventies, the stadium was disused and the stands deteriorated. When the Spanish Grand Prix and other races were held at the Montjuïc racing circuit, the stadium was used as a paddock for the teams. Due to safety concerns, the 1975 F1 race was nearly boycotted by drivers.[citation needed]
During the Barcelona's bid for the 1992 Summer Olympics, the stadium was totally renovated with the involvement of Italian architect Vittorio Gregotti. The stadium was gutted, preserving parts of the original facades, and new grandstands were built. In 1989, the venue was re-inaugurated for the World Cup in Athletics, and three years later it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and all the athletics competitions of the Olympic Games and also the same functions during the Paralympics.[7]
The stadium served as the home of Espanyol from 1997 until 2009.
It also served as the home of the Barcelona Dragons American football team from 1991 until 2002. Because the size of the playing surface was slightly shorter than the regulation American Football length, the stadium only had seven-yard end zones, three yards shorter than regulation NFL size in 1991 and 1992. They were later lengthened to the standard ten yards. The stadium also played host to the National Football League's American Bowl in 1993 and in 1994. The San Francisco 49ers played the Pittsburgh Steelers on 1 August 1993. The second game was played on 31 July 1994 between the Los Angeles Raiders and the Denver Broncos.
In 2001, the stadium was renamed after the former president of the Generalitat de Catalunya Lluís Companys, who was executed at the nearby Montjuïc Castle in 1940 by the Franco regime. In 2010, the stadium hosted the 20th European Athletics Championships.
Since the 2023–24 season, the stadium has served as the home ground for Barcelona during the redevelopment of the Camp Nou. The club plan to continue playing at the Estadi Olímpic until the redevelopment of the Camp Nou is completed by the 2025–26 season.[8]
Events
editSports
edit- 1929: Montjuïc hosted its first ever event, Spain's first official rugby international game against Italy.[9] Spain won 9–0.[9]
- 1935: Boxing match Paolino Uzcudun vs. Max Schmeling
- 1955: II Mediterranean Games.
- 1989: IAAF World Cup.
- 1992: Games of the XXV Olympiad and IX Paralympic Games.
- 1993: Rugby League European Cup Final, XIII Catalans 22–23 Huddersfield RLFC
- 1997: World Bowl '97 between Barcelona Dragons and Rhein Fire.
- 2003: World Police and Fire Games.
- 2009: On Saturday 20 June the Perpignan-based rugby league team, Catalans Dragons lost 12–24 to Warrington Wolves in the first Super League match to be played in Spain, drawing a crowd of over 18,500.
- 2010: 20th European Athletics Championships.
- 2011: 2010–11 Heineken Cup quarter-final match between Perpignan and Toulon with a crowd of 55,000.
- 2012: 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics.
Football
edit- 1930: National football cup final between Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid.
- 1933: National football cup final between Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid.
- 1934: National football cup final between Valencia and Real Madrid.
- 1939: National football cup final between Sevilla and Racing de Ferrol.
- 1944: National football cup final between Athletic Bilbao and Valencia.
- 1945: National football cup final between Sevilla and Racing de Ferrol.
- 1946: National football cup final between Real Madrid and Valencia.
- 1957: National football cup final between Barcelona and Espanyol.
- 1997–2009: Espanyol home fixtures in all competitions until the construction of the RCDE Stadium.
- 2004: National football cup final between Real Madrid and Real Zaragoza.
- 2023–: Barcelona home fixtures in all competitions due to the renovations of the Camp Nou.
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Music
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| Date | Origin | Artist | Event | Opening Act | Attendance | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 October 1989 |  Spain
|
Mecano | Tour 1989 | La Unión Los Pollos | — | — |
| 13 June 1990 |  UK
|
The Rolling Stones | Urban Jungle Tour | Gun | — | — |
| 14 June 1990 | ||||||
| 25 July 1990 |  USA
|
Prince | Nude Tour | — | 49,455 / 49,455 | — |
| 1 August 1990 | Madonna | Blond Ambition World Tour | — | — | — | |
| 5 October 1990 | Tina Turner | Foreign Affair: The Farewell Tour | — | — | — | |
| 6 October 1990 | ||||||
| 18 September 1992 | Michael Jackson | Dangerous World Tour | — | 60,000 / 60,000 | — | |
| 11 May 1993 | USA
|
Bruce Springsteen | 1992-1993 World Tour | — | — | — |
| 6 October 1993 |  France
|
Jean-Michel Jarre | Europe in Concert | El Último de la Fila | — | — |
| 27 July 1994 | UK
|
Pink Floyd | The Division Bell Tour | — | — | — |
| 13 June 1995 | USA
|
Bon Jovi | These Days Tour | Van Halen | — | — |
| 13 September 1997 |  Ireland
|
U2 | Popmart Tour | Placebo | 60,096 / 60,096 | $2,281,165 |
| 20 July 1998 | UK
|
The Rolling Stones | Bridges to Babylon Tour | Hothouse Flowers | 52,375 / 52,375 | $2,464,319 |
| 17 May 2003 | USA
|
Bruce Springsteen | The Rising Tour | — | — | — |
| 21 June 2003 | Metallica | European Tour 2003 | — | — | — | |
| 29 June 2003 | UK
|
The Rolling Stones | Licks World Tour | — | — | — |
| 2 July 2003 | Spain
|
El Canto del Loco La Oreja de Van Gogh |
MoviStar Activa | — | — | — |
| 21 June 2007 | UK
|
The Rolling Stones | A Bigger Bang Tour | Biffy Clyro | — | — |
| 30 June 2007 |  Mexico
|
RBD | Celestial World Tour | Diego Boneta | — | — |
| 27 September 2007 | UK
|
The Police | Reunion Tour | Fiction Plane | 54,553 / 54,553 | $5,554,320 |
| 1 June 2008 | USA
|
Bon Jovi | Lost Highway Tour | NoWayOut, Sabia | 46,255 / 46,255 | $4,046,421 |
| 7 June 2009 |  Australia
|
AC/DC | Black Ice Tour | The Answer | 64,196 / 64,376 | $5,906,138 |
| 21 July 2009 | USA
|
Madonna | Sticky & Sweet Tour | Paul Oakenfold | 44,811 / 44,811 | $5,010,557 |
| 4 September 2009 | UK
|
Coldplay | Viva la Vida Tour | The Flaming Lips | 63,306 / 64,376 | $4,554,068 |
| 3 December 2009 | The Prodigy | European Stadium Tour | Enter Shikari | — | — | |
| 4 December 2009 | USA
|
Marilyn Manson | The High End of Low Tour | esOterica | — | — |
| 9 April 2011 | We Are Scientists | Brain Thrust Mastery Tour | Els Pets | — | — | |
| 29 May 2011 |  Colombia
|
Shakira | The Sun Comes Out World Tour | — | 24,112 / 43,500 | $612,989 |
| 27 July 2011 | USA
|
Bon Jovi | Live 2011 | The Rebels | 39,992 / 39,992 | $3,021,325 |
| 17 May 2012 | Bruce Springsteen | Wrecking Ball Tour | — | 79,430 / 86,000 | $6,692,818 | |
| 18 May 2012 | ||||||
| 7 June 2013 | UK
|
Muse | The 2nd Law World Tour | You Don't Know Me | — | — |
| 8 July 2014 | One Direction | Where We Are Tour | 5 Seconds of Summer, Abraham Mateo | 40,333 / 40,333 | $3,391,560 | |
| 29 May 2015 | Australia
|
AC/DC | Rock or Bust World Tour | Vintage Trouble | 60,000 / 60,000 | — |
| 26 May 2016 | UK
|
Coldplay | A Head Full of Dreams Tour | Alessia Cara Lianne La Havas |
111,261 / 111,261 | $9,734,130 |
| 27 May 2016 | ||||||
| 3 August 2016 | USA
|
Beyoncé | The Formation World Tour | Chloe x Halle | 45,346 / 45,346 | $4,806,995 |
| 18 July 2017 | Ireland
|
U2 | The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 | Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds | 54,551 / 54,551 | $5,930,076 |
| 27 September 2017 | UK
|
The Rolling Stones | No Filter Tour | Los Zigarros | 58,622 / 58,622 | $8,769,703 |
| 20 June 2018 | USA
|
Bruno Mars | 24K Magic World Tour | DNCE | — | — |
| 1 July 2018 | Guns N' Roses | Not in This Lifetime Tour | Volbeat, Nothing More | 48,649 / 48,649 | $4,370,000 | |
| 11 July 2018 | Beyoncé Jay-Z | On The Run II Tour | — | 46,982 / 46,982 | $4,733,549 | |
| 5 May 2019 | Metallica | Worldwired Tour | Ghost, Bokassa | 51,799 / 53,760 | $5,285,919 | |
| 7 June 2019 | UK
|
Ed Sheeran | Divide Tour | Anne-Marie, James Bay | 54,658 / 54,658 | $4,126,520 |
| 7 June 2022 | USA
|
Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2022 Global Stadium Tour | A$AP Rocky, Thundercat | — | — |
| 29 July 2022 | UK
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Iron Maiden | Legacy of the Beast World Tour | Within Temptation, Airbourne | — | — |
| 28 April 2023 | USA
|
Bruce Springsteen | 2023 Tour | — | — | — |
| 30 April 2023 | ||||||
| 24 May 2023 | UK
|
Coldplay | Music of the Spheres World Tour | CHVRCHES Porij |
224,761 / 224,761 | $27,262,896 |
| 25 May 2023 | ||||||
| 27 May 2023 | ||||||
| 28 May 2023 | ||||||
| 8 June 2023 | USA
|
Beyoncé | Renaissance World Tour | Arca | 52,889 / 52,889 | $7,395,529 |
| 12 July 2023 | UK
|
Harry Styles | Love On Tour | Wet Leg | — | — |
| 20 July 2023 |  Canada
|
The Weeknd | After Hours til Dawn Tour | Kaytranada Mike Dean |
54,017 / 54,017 | $5,484,112 |
| 11 June 2024 |  Germany
|
Rammstein | Rammstein Stadium Tour | — | — | — |
| 20 June 2024 | USA
|
Bruce Springsteen | 2024 Tour | — | — | — |
| 22 June 2024 | — | — | ||||
| 10 July 2024 | Spain
|
Estopa | Gira 25 Aniversario | — | — | — |
Notes
edit- ^ Catalan: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, pronounced [əsˈtaði uˈlimpiɡ ʎuˈis kumˈpaɲs]
References
edit- ^ a b "Barca's attendances for next season will be capped at under 50,000". Sport. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "How to get to the Olympic Stadium Lluís Companys | FC Barcelona Official Channel". www.fcbarcelona.com. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ "Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain". www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ "Barcelona's Olympic Stadium: the magnificent setting of the '92 Olympics". Barceló Experiences. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ "Official Report of the XXV Games of the Olympiad Barcelona 1992; Volume II; p.127" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2008.
- ^ "Como la selección de Cataluña..." [How did the Catalonia team...]. hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com (in Spanish). Hemeroteca. 21 May 1929. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ^ 1992 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 160–7.
- ^ "Agreement on the transformation of Espai Barça and work on new Camp Nou to begin in June" (Press release). Barcelona: Fútbol Club de Barcelona. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ a b Richards, Huw A Game for Hooligans: The History of Rugby Union (Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh, 2007, ISBN 978-1-84596-255-5); Chapter 6, Gathering Storms, p129
External links
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- Official website
- Estadios de España (in Spanish)