Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys
Former namesEstadi de Montjuïc (1929–85)
Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc (1989–2001)
LocationPasseig Olímpic, 17-19, 08038 Barcelona
OwnerCity Council of Barcelona
OperatorBarcelona de Serveis Municipals (B:SM)
Capacity54,367[1]
Construction
Built1927 (1927)
Opened20 May 1929 (1929-05-20)
Renovated1985–89
ArchitectPere Domènech i Roura
Tenants
Barcelona Dragons (1991–92, 1995–2002)
RCD Espanyol (1997–2009)
FC Barcelona (2023–present)
Website
estadiolimpic.barcelona

Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (Catalan pronunciation: [əsˈtaði uˈlimpiɡ ʎuˈis kumˈpaɲs], formerly known as the Estadi de Montjuïc and Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc) 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[2] and 1992 Summer Paralympics. It is the home stadium of FC Barcelona for the 2023–24 season due to the renovation of their regular ground, Camp Nou.

With its current capacity of 54,367 seats[1] (67,007 during the 1992 Olympics), is the sixth-largest stadium in Spain and the second largest in Catalonia.

The stadium is located in the Anella Olímpica, in Montjuïc, a large hill to the southwest of the city that overlooks the harbor.

History

Internal view of the stadium in 2014

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.[3]

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 FC Barcelona and RCD 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.

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.[4]

The stadium served as the home of football club RCD Espanyol from 1997 until 2009. The Estadi Olímpic made its final La Liga appearance during the 2008–2009 season, as Espanyol moved to the newly constructed RCDE Stadium.

It also served as the home of the Barcelona Dragons American football team until 2002. Because the size of the playing surface was slightly shorter than the regulation American Football length, the stadium only had 7-yard end zones, three yards shorter than regulation NFL size in 1991 and 1992. They were later lengthened to the standard 10 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 FC Barcelona during the redevelopment of Camp Nou. The club plan to continue playing at the Estadi Olímpic until the redevelopment of Camp Nou is completed by the 2025–26 season.[5]

Events

Interior of venue during the 2010 European Athletics Championships.

Sports

Football

Music

Date Country Artist Tour Opening Act Attendance Revenue
7 October 1989  Spain Mecano Tour 1989 La Unión
13 June 1990 United Kingdom UK The Rolling Stones Urban Jungle Tour Gun
14 June 1990
25 July 1990 United States 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 United States 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 United Kingdom UK Pink Floyd The Division Bell Tour
13 June 1995 United States 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 United Kingdom UK The Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon Tour Hothouse Flowers 52,375 / 52,375 $2,464,319
17 May 2003 United States USA Bruce Springsteen The Rising Tour
21 June 2003 Metallica European Tour 2003
29 June 2003 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom UK The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang Tour Biffy Clyro
30 June 2007  Mexico RBD Celestial World Tour Diego Boneta
27 September 2007 United Kingdom UK The Police Reunion Tour Fiction Plane 54,553 / 54,553 $5,554,320
1 June 2008 United States 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 United States USA Madonna Sticky & Sweet Tour Paul Oakenfold 44,811 / 44,811 $5,010,557
4 September 2009 United Kingdom 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 United States 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 32,012 / 33,887 $2,994,989
27 July 2011 United States 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 United Kingdom 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 United Kingdom 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 United States 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 United Kingdom UK The Rolling Stones No Filter Tour Los Zigarros 58,622 / 58,622 $8,769,703
20 June 2018 United States 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 United Kingdom UK Ed Sheeran Divide Tour Anne-Marie, James Bay 54,658 / 54,658 $4,126,520
7 June 2022 United States USA Red Hot Chili Peppers 2022 Global Stadium Tour A$AP Rocky, Thundercat
29 July 2022 United Kingdom UK Iron Maiden Legacy of the Beast World Tour Within Temptation, Airbourne
28 April 2023 United States USA Bruce Springsteen 2023 Tour
30 April 2023
24 May 2023 United Kingdom 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 United States USA Beyoncé Renaissance World Tour 52,889 / 52,889 $7,395,529
12 July 2023 United Kingdom 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 United States USA Bruce Springsteen 2024 Tour
22 June 2024
10 July 2024 Spain Spain Estopa Gira 25 Aniversario

References

  1. 1 2 "Barca's attendances for next season will be capped at under 50,000". Sport. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  2. "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.
  3. "Como la selección de Cataluña..." [How did the Catalonia team...]. hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com (in Spanish). Hemeroteca. 21 May 1929. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  4. 1992 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 2. pp. 160–7.
  5. "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.
  6. 1 2 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

41°21′53″N 2°9′20″E / 41.36472°N 2.15556°E / 41.36472; 2.15556

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