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During the Games of the XXVth Olympiad, the Estadi Olímpic (Olympic Stadium) was the stage for the opening and closing ceremonies, the track and field competitions and the final stretches of the marathon and race walking events. The current facility is the result of remodelling the former Estadi (Stadium) designed by Pere Domènech i Roure in 1929 for the Barcelona International Exposition. It was also one of the stellar facilities of Barcelona’s bid to hold the 1936 Olympic Games. The remodelling works involved retaining the original façade while demolishing and rebuilding the interior of the stadium to increase capacity and the number of services, and to bring it up to standard to meet the requirements of high-level competition. It became the main building of the Anella Olímpica (Olympic Ring) located on Montjuïc hill. It has a capacity for up to 60,000 people, though that number can be increased for concerts and performances by using the field.

In 1955, the Estadi was the main facility for the IInd Mediterranean Games. After that event, however, it fell into disuse until —with Barcelona’s Olympic bid— remodelling works began and have basically continued right up to the current time. Renamed in 2001 as the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium) after the former President of the Government of Catalonia, who was executed by firing squad under Franco’s dictatorship, it was home to RCD Espanyol de Barcelona football club from 1997 to 2009. In 2010, it hosted the 20th European Athletics Championships, for which it was partially remodelled again. It is ranked as a five-star stadium by UEFA, meaning that it is suitable for hosting major football matches.

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

Instal·lacions de competició = Instalaciones de competición = Installation compétition = Competition facilities

COOB’92 (1990): Instal·lacions de competició = Instalaciones de competición = Installation compétition = Competition facilities. Barcelona: COOB’92.

AOMSA: l’Anella Olímpica de Montjuïc

Anella Olímpica, S.A. (1990): AOMSA: l’Anella Olímpica de Montjuïc. Barcelona: Ajuntament de Barcelona.

El Estadio Olímpico: símbolo de Barcelona'92

COOB’92 (1989): El Estadio Olímpico: símbolo de Barcelona’92. Barcelona: COOB’92. ISBN 8478680039.

Barcelona Olímpica : la ciudad renovada

Barcelona Olímpica : la ciudad renovada. Barcelona: Holsa; Àmbit, 1992. 

Barcelona: la ciutat i el 92

Guevara, M. Teresa (1990): Barcelona: la ciutat i el 92. Barcelona: Olimpíada Cultural.

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).

 

In the Barcelona Photographic Archive, you can consult the photographic and audio-visual documentation (more than 25000 photographs) generated by the by the Organising Committee Barcelona’92, SA (COOB’92), Holding Olímpic SA (HOLSA), Anella Olímpica de Montjuïc SA (AOMSA) (Olympic ring) 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.