Stadio Olimpico

Stadio Olimpico

Stadio Olimpico, also called l'Olimpico, is a big sports place in Rome, Italy. It can hold more than 70,000 people, making it the largest sports place in the city and the second largest in all of the country, after Milan's San Siro. The stadium is owned by a government group named Sport e Salute and is taken care of by the Italian National Olympic Committee.

It is found in the Foro Italico sports area in the northwestern part of Rome. Building the stadium started in 1928 and finished in 1953. Two big football teams, S.S. Lazio and A.S. Roma, play their home games there. The stadium has hosted many important events, such as the 1960 Summer Olympics, the 1990 FIFA World Cup, and many European football competitions. It has also been used for concerts, with the most people ever coming to see Claudio Baglioni perform in 1998, a record of 90,000 fans.

History

Stadio dei Cipressi

In 1926, Rome changed its plans to include a sports area. The Stadio dei Cipressi opened in 1932. It was built on wet land and could hold around 100,000 people. The stadium was used for sports and big events.

Stadio dei Centomila

After World War II, the stadium was rebuilt and renamed Stadio dei Centomila. It was finished in 1952 and could hold over 70,000 people. The stadium had two main stands and two curved ends. It was used for football matches and other events.

1960 Olympics

In 1960, Rome hosted the Summer Olympics. The Olimpico was used for the opening ceremony and many track-and-field events. Famous athletes like Wilma Rudolph won gold medals there.

After the Olympics

After the Olympics, the stadium was mainly used for football. It hosted important matches, including European Championship games and World Cup matches. In 1990, the stadium was renovated for the World Cup, getting a new roof and more seats.

1990 World Cup renovation

The stadium was renovated again in 1990 for the World Cup. The old stands were rebuilt, and a new roof was added. The renovation cost a lot of money and took several years to complete.

Italia '90 and post-World Cup

During the 1990 World Cup, the Olimpico hosted several matches. After the World Cup, the stadium continued to host football matches, rugby games, and other events. Ownership of the stadium changed several times over the years.

2007–2008 renovation

In 2007–2008, the stadium was renovated again to prepare for the 2009 Champions League final. New seats, scoreboards, and VIP areas were added. The capacity was reduced to about 70,000 seats. The stadium continues to host major football matches and other events today.

Other recurring sports events

Golden Gala

The Golden Gala is a summer athletics event held at the Olimpico stadium. It started in 1980 by Primo Nebiolo, the president of the Italian Athletics Federation. The event happened after the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

The first Golden Gala took place on August 5, 1980. Many top Italian athletes who couldn't go to Moscow competed there. About 74,000 people watched the event.

Six Nations Championship and rugby union

Italy used to play its Six Nations Championship matches at another stadium, Stadio Flaminio. But that stadium didn’t meet the rules for the Six Nations, so Italy started using the Olimpico in 2012. The first match there was on February 11, 2012, and England won. Since then, Italy has played many important rugby matches at the Olimpico.

Music events

The Stadio Olimpico is a great place for concerts because it has a roof. The first musicians to play there were Miles Davis and Pat Metheny in July 1991.

The singer who has performed most often at the Stadio Olimpico is Vasco Rossi. Luciano Ligabue has also performed there many times.

Other famous performers include David Bowie, Tina Turner, and R.E.M.

Sports events

The Stadio Olimpico in Rome has hosted many important sports events. It was used during the 1960 Summer Olympics and has had big football and rugby matches.

Some famous events include finals from the UEFA European Championship in 1968 and 1980, the 1990 FIFA World Cup Final, and the 2009 UEFA Champions League final. The stadium has also had key rugby matches in the Six Nations tournament, including Italy's first wins against France, Ireland, and England.

Attendance

The table below shows how many fans went to games at Stadio Olimpico each season for the teams Lazio and Roma. The most people ever watched a game there was 78,886. This happened on May 12, 1974, during a match between Lazio and Foggia. Lazio won that game, which helped them win their first big prize, called the scudetto, one game before the season ended.