Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic, Barcelona

The Olympic Stadium was built for the Olympic Games of 1936 that never took place because of the civil war. They kept the neoclassical façade and built it again for the 1992 Olympic Games and it’s the home of Espanyol, a much smaller team than Barca that happens to win Barca from time to time! It’s much more easier to find tickets for a football match here of course. There’s no entrance fee to see the stadium. The capacity of the stadium is 77.000 seats. By the way many rock festivals take place here in summer. I will visit one some day…

I saw many people around the stadium (inside Montjuic in general) running up and down. We as normal tourists felt enough tired already just walking around for so many hours every day :)

Another fantastic place to go and see,this city is full of them ....In the Olympics of 1992,(Great Britains finest!!) This was puposely built for those games,the pool is still being used as is this stadium.Espanyol play here,the facilities are looking a bit tatty now,could do with a lick of paint here and there.

I first really learned about Barcelona during the '92 Olympics, so it was natural to visit the stadium, and walk around Montjuic too. You're able to walk right into the stadium. The soccer club was just starting practice when I was there. Good thing too-an empty stadium can be a little boring!

The one view I really wanted to find was from the diving arena-the city view was so great on TV during the games. I found it by accident, but the arena wasn't open. Even behind the gates, it was a good view.

The Estadi Olimpic was inaugurated in 1929. Today it can contains 50000 spectators. The "old" part of the Stadium was totally rebuilt for the Olympic Games in 1992.
The façade still remembers the origin of the arena. In the back of the Stadium there is the "Galeria Olimpica", that narrates with videos, posters and images the history of the Olympic Games of 1992.

This is the landscape you can have after enter the olympic square. The Olympic "circuit" consists of the Olympic Stadium, the Palace Sport The Palau Sant Jordi and the public swimming-pool, indoor and outdoor called Piscines Bernat Martoll.

The Estadi Olimpic was built for the 1929 Universal Exposition. Its opening football (soccer) match was a victory for the Catalan side against Bolton Wanderers--little known fact I got from my guidebook. It remained open until the Mediterranean Games in 1955, then fell into disrepair. Extensive works for the 1992 Olympics involved lowering the arena by 11 meters to creat the extra seating needed for 55,000 spectators. Most of the track and field events and teh opening and closing ceremonies were held here (remember the archer lighting the torch way above the stadium?).

Today the stadium is used for mutiple events. Here you see it being prepared for an event sponsored by "La Caixa" a large Barcelona bank.

This is for football fans who also like to combine some sightseeing together with their football matches. The Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic is now the home of the Barcelona Dragons - if you feel like watching a match - but before it was the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies and the track and field competition for the 1992 Olympics.
For some sports-related culture you can visit the Olympic museum and gallery under the south-east corner of the stadium

Equipment: anything blue and white - the colours of the Barcelona Dragons

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The Estadi Olimpic was the venue for the 1992 Olympic games and is now one of the most popular athletic facilities in Barcelona, and is open to visitors to take a look around and see where all the action took place. The Stadium is actually a redesigned version of a previous one that was located at the site since 1929. The Olympic Stadium also hosts a variety of events, both athletic and social. Nowadays Espanyol from the Spanish First Division play football matches at the stadium.

Capacity 56,000

Admission: Free

September 2005