Direct access to content

The lake of Banyoles was the subsite where took place the rowing competitions. The lake use during the games sparked criticism from environmental groups and for this reason it was developed an environmental study which determined that the Games would have no negative impact and also stated some cautionary guidelines that would serve for the future use of the lake.

The lake adaptation facilities for the races were formed by removable elements, disassembled after the Games, and formed six lanes of 13.5 m wide and 2,000 m long, with a neutral zone before the starting line and another one after the finish line.

Near the area of the races finish line was built a grandstands area that could accommodate up to 4,000 spectators and some adjacent spaces that could accommodate standees.

Banyoles is a city located 17km northwest of Girona. Its first urban nucleus dates back to the ninth century and grew around the monastery of Sant Esteve although the presence of man around the lake is much older and there have been found prehistoric remains. The lake, which covers an area of 1,075,315 m², 2.080 m long and 730 m wide, has often been the scene of rowing competitions throughout history.


Sports Tradition

The first references of rowing competitions in Banyoles date from 1885, when took place the first race. In 1971 the Waterskiing World Championship took place there and in Los Angeles ’84 Olympic Games a sportsman formed in Banyoles won the first Spanish Olympic medal in rowing.


Banyoles Swimming Club

Banyoles Swimming Club, founded in 1925, was the COOB’92 and CIO organizational headquarters during the Games as well as the press center for the rowing events.


Banyoles Olympic Village

In the area called the Park of the Draga was built a sports complex and a village of 238 apartments, suitable to house 910 athletes. After the games the apartments went on sale as a residential area.

Selected resources

Los escenarios

COOB’92 (1992): “Los escenarios”, Memoria oficial de los Juegos de la XXV Olímpiada, Barcelona 1992. Vol.2. Los medios : objetivos, recursos y escenarios. Barcelona: COOB’92, pp. 127-337

Los escenarios : las subsedes

COOB’92 (1992): “Los escenarios: las subsedes” a Memòria oficial de los Juegos de las XXVa Olimpíada: Barcelona 1992. Barcelona: COOB’92, vol. 2, pp. 273-342.

Subseus olímpiques = Subsedes olímpicas

COOB’92 (1990-1992?): Subseus olímpiques = Subsedes olímpicas [publicació en sèrie]. [Barcelona]: Coordinació Subseus Olímpiques del COOB’9

Les Ciutats de Barcelona'92

Campillo, Josep Manuel (1991): Les Ciutats de Barcelona’92. Barcelona ; COOB’92: Diputació de Barcelona.

In the repository

In the Municipal Contemporary Archive, you can consult the administrative and management documentation generated on this topic by the Organising Committee Barcelona’92, SA (COOB’92), Holding Olímpic SA (HOLSA), Anella Olímpica de Montjuïc SA (AOMSA) (Olympic ring), Vila Olímpica SA (VOSA) (Olympic village) and the Institut Municipal de Promoció Urbanística SA (IMPUSA) (municipal Institute of urban development).

If you need further information on the collection, read the collection guide.

In the library

In the libraries of the study centres of the Barcelona Olympic Foundation (FBO) and the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) you can find the selection of listed documents and other bibliographic materials on the subject.

If you are interested in knowing more about our Olympic collection, you can consult the Union Catalogue of Catalan Universities (UAB collection) or contact us by e-mail (FBO collection).

Sports in pictures

If you are interested in images of the Olympic and Paralympic Games of Barcelona’92, the Image Service of the Olympic Foundation of Barcelona will help you identify the images that satisfy your needs.

The Foundation manages the official image archive of the Barcelona’92 Games. You can contact them by email to request more information about the services provided and the collection of images. In this page, we offer a selection of images on the event.