Olympic Stadium
Along with the huge urban operation that the International Exposition of Barcelona 1929 represented, the Council decided to build a great sporting venue for the city which would add weight in convincing the International Olympic Committee and, specifically, Baron Pierre de Coubertin that Barcelona aimed to organise, with well founded aspirations, the Olympic Games. Thus the Stadium of Montjuïc was born. After years of neglect and decline the stadium was refurbished to become the core of the Olympic Games in 1992. It was planned by Pere Domenech i Roura and it was transformed to a symbol of sport for Barcelona which still today awakes wonderful memories and emotions.
In the eighties the Organising Committee of Barcelona ‘92 held an international architecture competition to undertake the task of rebuilding the stadium. The firm of architects Correa-Milà-Margarit-Buixadé was chosen to design the management plan for Montjuïc, which included the restoration of the stadium. The Italian architect, Vittorio Gregotti, also worked alongside the Catalan architects.
Montjuïc was completely stripped and the main facade was the only part of the stadium to be left intact. The capacity was increased to 45,000 and the area around the stadium was made into a ring full of sporting facilities that made the Olympic Games of Barcelona so successful.
The cost of the work reached 8,500 million pesetas at the time, with the stadium being equipped with the most modern fittings available, which can accommodate any kind of international athletics competition or other events.
Presently the Olympic Stadium of Montjuïc, whose official title is the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium of Montjuïc, is a modern stadium in full use which is considered a five star stadium by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Only two other stadiums in Spain have this ranking: Camp Nou and Vicente Calderón..
Main Events
The Olympic Stadium hosted many different sport and non-sport events during the past few years:
| 1989 | Athletics World Cup |
| LXXI Spanish Athletics Championships | |
| 1991 | LXIX Spanish Athletics Championships |
| IAAF Grand Prix Final | |
| European Cup (1st Division) | |
| 1992 | Olympic and Paralympic Games |
| 1993 | American Bowl (American Football) |
| 1994 | American Bowl (American Football) |
| 1996 | Under 21 European Football Championships |
| 1997 | World Bowl (American Football) |
| 2000 | LXXX Spanish Athletics Championships |
| IAAF Permit Meeting | |
| 2002 | National Football Teams (Spain-Portugal) |
| MTV Awards Party | |
| IV Female Rugby World Cup | |
| 2003 | Bruce Springsteen Concert |
| Harley Davidson Open Road Tour | |
| Doctor Music Day | |
| Rolling Stones Concert | |
| X Police & Firefighters World Championships | |
| 2004 | Spanish Football Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) |
| International Football (Spain-Peru) | |
| At present |
Football matches of the RCD Espanyol of Barcelona
|
|
Upcoming events
|
|
| 2008 | EAA Permit Meeting “MÍTING INTERNACIONAL D'ATLETISME CIUTAT DE BACELONA” (19th July) |
| 2009 | EAA Permit Meeting “MÍTING INTERNACIONAL D'ATLETISME CIUTAT DE BACELONA” (July – date tbc) |
| Spanish National Athletics Championships (July – date tbc) | |
| 2010 | EAA Permit Meeting “MÍTING INTERNACIONAL D'ATLETISME CIUTAT DE BACELONA” (July – date tbc) |
| 20th European Athletics Championship (26th July – 1st August) | |
Characteristics
The Olympic Stadium - officially named “Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc Lluís Companys” is located on the mountain of the Montjuïc Park, in Barcelona.
The Stadium capacities and dimensions are:
- Athletic track 10 lanes (400m)
- Field: 107x70 m
- Spectator capacity:
- Football matches: 56.000 spectator seats.
- European Athletics Championship: 37.000 spectator seats (excl. Press, TV, VIP, Athletes and Officials stands)
- Concerts: 70.000 spectators.
- Total area: 17.000 m2
Following additional facilities are within the stadium complex:
- Indoor warm up track (synthetic sportflex surface)
- Changing rooms
- Additional offices for different uses
- Press conference room for 180 people (near the finish line)
- 20 radio booths
- Reserved VIPs area, two offices and separate access for dedicated vehicles
- Restaurant and catering areas
- Giant Jumbotron video screen
- 9x14 m alphanumerical scoreboard
- Closed TV circuit
- Parking for 3,155 vehicles around the Olympic Stadium and for a further 5,083 vehicles in nearby areas. There are also available 170 parking spaces for buses and 40 for lorries beside the Stadium.
- First Aid rooms
Distances from:
- Airport: 14 km (approx. 20 minutes by car).
- Barcelona Trade Fair: 1 km
- Barcelona Harbour: 3 km
- Plaza de España: 15 minutes (on foot).
- Sants Station (Main train station of Barcelona): 30 minutes (on foot).
- Training: Can Drago Sports Complex: 17,5 km
- Training Mar Bella Municipal Sports Complex: 8,5 km
- Warm-up: Municipal Sports Complex - Parc del Migdia: 0,2 km
- Warm-up Joan Serrahima Municipal Stadium: 2 km
How to get there Olympic Stadium:
Metro lines:
- Line 3 (Plaça Espanya station)
- Line 1 (Plaça Espanya station)
Buses:
- Line 50 (Parc de Montjuïc-Trinitat Nova)
- Line 55 (Parc de Montjuïc-Pl. Catalana)
- Line 61 (Poble Sec - Parc Montjuïc)
- Line PM (Parc Montjuïc)
Train:
- Catalonia Railways (FGC) (Plaça Espanya station)
Funicular (cable car): Montjuïc Funicular
