Stadio Olimpico

The Stadio Olimpico is the largest sports facility in Rome, Italy, seating over 70,000 spectators. It is located within the Foro Italico sports complex, north of the city. The structure is owned by the Italian National Olympic Committee and it is used primarily for association football. The Stadio Olimpico is the home stadium of the Roma and Lazio football clubs, and also hosts the Coppa Italia final. It was rebuilt for the 1990 FIFA World Cup and it hosted the tournament final.

Stadio Olimpico
Olimpico
LocationViale dei Gladiatori, 00135 Rome, Italy 
Coordinates41°56′1.99″N 12°27′17.23″E
OwnerItalian National Olympic Committee
OperatorSport e Salute
Capacity70,634[1]
SurfaceGrass
105 × 66 m
Construction
Broke ground1901
Built1927
Opened1932 (partial opening), 1953
Expanded1990
Architect
  • Del Debbio (1927)
  • Moretti (1932)
  • Vitellozzi (1953 and 1990) [2]
  • Clerici (1990)
Tenants
A.S. Roma (1953–present)
S.S. Lazio (1953–present)
Italy national football team (selected matches)
Italy national rugby union team (2012–present)

Rated an UEFA category four stadium, it has also hosted four European Cup finals, the most recent being the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final. Outside football, the stadium is used by the Italian national rugby union team and it is Italy's national athletics stadium. Occasionally, it hosts concerts and events.

History

Throughout its history, the Stadio Olimpico has undergone several renovations.

1937, the Stadio dei Cipressi

In its first stages, the Stadio Olimpico was called the Stadio dei Cipressi. It was designed and constructed within the larger project of the Foro Mussolini (Mussolini Forum) which was renamed Foro Italico after the war.

Construction work began in 1927 directed by the Turinese engineer Angelo Frisa and architect Enrico Del Debbio. The construction was completed in 1932, after a few variations to the original plan. For instance, the construction of masonry stands was not part of the initial plan as, originally, stands consisted of grassed terraces.

In 1937, the construction of a second tier of stairs was started but was interrupted in 1940 due to the outbreak of World War II.

1953, the Stadio dei Centomila

Panoramic view of the stadium in the 1950s

In December 1950, the working site was reopened for the completion of the stadium. The project was entrusted to the engineer Carlo Roccatelli, a member of the Superior Council of Public Works. At first, the plan was for a stadium with a more complex structure than that actually realised. However, the scarcity of funds and the environmental characteristics of the area led to a less ambitious building. On the death of Roccatelli in 1951, the direction of the work was entrusted to architect Annibale Vitellozzi. The stadium now reached a capacity of about 100,000 people, hence the stadium was known as Stadio dei Centomila, until renamed for the 1960 Olympics. The building was inaugurated on 17 May 1953 with a football game between Italy and Hungary.

1960, the Stadio Olimpico

Opening Ceremony of the 1960 Olympic Games

During the 1960 Summer Olympics, the stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics competitions. Seating at ground level was eliminated with the result of an actual capacity of 65,000 spectators.[3] Subsequently, the stadium hosted several editions of the Italian Championships of Athletics, the 1975 Summer Universiade (the stadium was the only venue for the Universiade) and the 1987 World Athletics Championships. It still hosts the annual meeting of the Golden Gala.

1990 restructuring and roofing of the stadium

The Stadio Olimpico from above

For the 1990 FIFA World Cup, for which it was the main stadium, the facility underwent an extensive renovation. While that work was underway in 1989 the Capitoline teams Lazio and Roma had to play their Serie A games at Stadio Flaminio. The work was entrusted to a team of designers including the original architect Annibale Vitellozzi. From 1987 to 1990, the construction plan was amended several times, with a consequent rise in costs. Ultimately, the Olimpico was entirely demolished and rebuilt in reinforced concrete, with the exception of the Tribuna Tevere which was expanded with the addition of further steps and of the curves which were closer to the field by nine metres. All sectors of the stadium were provided with full coverage in tensostructure white. Backless seats in blue plastic were installed and two giant screens built in 1987 for the World Athletics Championships were also mounted inside the curve. In the end the new version of the Olimpico had 82,911 seats. It was the 14th stadium in the world for number of seats among the football stadiums, the 29th among all stadiums and the second in Italy, just behind the San Siro Stadium of Milan.

The Stadio Olimpico was host to five matches in which the Italian national team took part and the final between West Germany and Argentina. West Germany won the final match 1–0.

With the same layout from 1990, the Stadio Olimpico hosted on 22 May 1996 the UEFA Champions League Final between Juventus and Ajax which saw the Bianconeri prevail in a penalty shoot-out.

2008 restyling of the stadium

Exterior of the stadium.
An internal panoramic view of the Stadio Olimpico in May 2017.

In 2007, a vast plan of restyling the internal design of the stadium was laid out, to conform to UEFA standards for the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final which was held in Rome. The work was performed and completed in 2008. It included the establishment of standard structures with improvements in security, the fixing of dressing rooms and of the press room. It also included the replacement of all seats, the installation of high definition LED screens, the partial removal of plexiglas fences between spectators and the field and a reduction of seating to the current capacity of 70,634. In order to enhance the comfort of the audience, part of the modernisation of the stadium involved increasing the number of restrooms and fixing the toilets. As a result of these improvements, the Stadio Olimpico was classified a UEFA Elite stadium.

Areas and capacity

Curva Sud, used as the home end by Roma supporters.
Curva Nord, used as the home end by Lazio supporters.

The stadium has a current capacity of 72,698, distributed as follows:[4]

  • Tribuna Monte Mario – 16,555
  • Tribuna Tevere – 16,397
  • Distinti Sud Ovest – 5,747
  • Distinti Sud Est – 5,637
  • Distinti Nord Ovest – 5,769
  • Distinti Nord Est – 5,597
  • Curva Sud – 8,486
  • Curva Nord – 8,520
  • For end stage concerts/shows it can hold up to 75,000.
  • For center stage concerts/shows it can hold up to 78,000.

Competitions hosted

Famous matches

Rugby union match between Italy and France at the stadium in 1954

Average attendances

The average season attendance at league matches held at the Stadio Olimpico for Lazio and Roma. [5]

# In 1989–90 season both teams played at Stadio Flaminio during the renovations of Stadio Olimpico.
* Club was in Serie B
= Serie A champions
= Coppa Italia winners

1990 FIFA World Cup

The stadium was one of the venues of the 1990 FIFA World Cup, and held six matches. The first five involved host nations Italy. All their Group A matches (1–0 wins over Austria 9 June and United States on 14 June respectively and a 2–0 win over Czechoslovakia on 19 June), their Round of 16 match against Uruguay on 26 June winning 2–0 and their Quarter-finals against Republic of Ireland on 30 June winning 1–0. The sixth was the Final where West Germany and Argentina on 8 July with West Germany winning 1–0.

Concerts

Date Performer(s) Opening act(s) Tour/Event Notes
23 July 1991 Miles Davis Pat Metheny Group
8 July 1992 Elton John The One Tour
16 June 1993 Zucchero L'urlo Tour 1992/1993
9 July 1993 Pino Daniele
28 July 1993 Litfiba Terremoto Tour
16 June 1994 Pino Daniele
Eros Ramazzotti
Jovanotti
22 September 1995 Pino Daniele Non Calpestare i Fiori nel Deserto Tour
4 October 1995 Renato Zero
8 June 1996 Ligabue Buon Compleanno Elvis! Tour
27 June 1996 Vasco Rossi Nessun Pericolo per Te Tour
5 July 1996 Santana Phish 1996 Tour
7 July 1996 Tina Turner Wildest Dreams Tour
9 July 1996 Various artists Live Link Festival
10 July 1996
5 July 1997 Ligabue Il Bar Mario è Aperto
6 July 1997 Negrita
5 September 1997 Jovanotti
6 June 1998 Various artists Roma Live Festival 1998
7 June 1998
12 June 1998
23 June 1999 Vasco Rossi Rewind Tour 1999
24 June 1999
29 June 1999 Backstreet Boys Into the Millennium Tour
10 July 2000 Ligabue 10 Anni Sulla Mia Strada Tour
4 July 2001 Vasco Rossi Stupido Hotel Tour 2001
7 July 2001 Sting Brand New Day Tour
15 July 2002 Ligabue Fuori Come Va Tour
23 July 2002 The Cure The Summer Festival Tour 2002
25 June 2003 Carmen Consoli
5 June 2004 Vasco Rossi Buoni o Cattivi Tour 2004
24 June 2004 Renato Zero
7 July 2004 Eros Ramazzotti
10 June 2005 R.E.M. Around The Sun Tour
23 July 2005 U2 Ash
Feeder
Vertigo Tour
3 June 2006 Ligabue Tiromancino
Velvet
Nome e Cognome Tour
16 June 2006 Roger Waters The Dark Side of the Moon Live
17 July 2006 Depeche Mode Scarling.
Franz Ferdinand
Touring the Angel The concert was recorded for the group's live albums project Recording the Angel.
6 August 2006 Madonna Paul Oakenfold Confessions Tour
3 June 2007 Renato Zero
20 June 2007 Iron Maiden Motörhead
Machine Head
Mastodon
Lauren Harris
Sadist
A Matter of the Beast Tour
27 June 2007 Vasco Rossi Vasco Live 2007
28 June 2007
6 July 2007 The Rolling Stones Biffy Clyro A Bigger Bang
21 July 2007 George Michael 25 Live
29 May 2008 Vasco Rossi Il Mondo che Vorrei Live Tour 2008
30 May 2008
18 July 2008 Ligabue Elle-Elle Live 2008
6 September 2008 Madonna Benny Benassi Sticky & Sweet Tour
16 June 2009 Depeche Mode M83 Tour of the Universe The concert was recorded for the group's live albums project Recording the Universe.
24 June 2009 Tiziano Ferro Alla mia età Tour 2009–2010
25 June 2009
19 July 2009 Bruce Springsteen Working on a Dream Tour
9 July 2010 Ligabue Stadi 2010
10 July 2010
8 October 2010 U2 Interpol U2 360° Tour The performance of Bad was recorded for the group's live album U22: A 22 Track Live Collection from U2360°.
1 July 2011 Vasco Rossi Vasco Live Kom '011
2 July 2011
12 June 2012 Madonna Martin Solveig The MDNA Tour
28 June 2012 Various artists soundRome 2012
14 July 2012 Tiziano Ferro L'amore è una cosa semplice Tour 2012
28 June 2013 Jovanotti Backup Tour
6 July 2013 Muse Arcane Roots
We Are the Ocean
The 2nd Law World Tour The concert was filmed and recorded for the group's concert film and live album Live at Rome Olympic Stadium.
16 July 2013 Negramaro
20 July 2013 Depeche Mode Motel Connection
Matthew Dear
The Delta Machine Tour
28 July 2013 Roger Waters The Wall Live
30 May 2014 Ligabue Mondovisione Tour: Stadi 2014
31 May 2014
23 June 2014 Vasco Rossi Vasco Live Kom '014
25 June 2014
26 June 2014
30 June 2014
11 July 2014 Modà
26 June 2015 Tiziano Ferro Lo stadio Tour 2015
27 June 2015
12 July 2015 Jovanotti Lorenzo Negli Stadi 2015
11 June 2016 Laura Pausini Pausini Stadi Tour 2016
15 June 2016 Pooh
22 June 2016 Vasco Rossi Live Kom '016
23 June 2016
26 June 2016
27 June 2016
25 June 2017 Depeche Mode Algiers Global Spirit Tour
28 June 2017 Tiziano Ferro Il mestiere della vita Tour 2017
30 June 2017
15 July 2017 U2 Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds The Joshua Tree Tour 2017
16 July 2017
26 June 2018 Pearl Jam Pearl Jam 2018 Tour
8 July 2018 Beyoncé
Jay-Z
On the Run II Tour

References

  1. "Stadi Serie A 2015-2016" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 September 2015.
  2. worldstadiums.com
  3. 1960 Summer Olympics official report. Volume 1. pp. 56-7.
  4. "Stadio Olimpico – nuove tecniche di safety & security". Vigili del Fuoco. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
  5. "StadiaPostcards".
Events and tenants
Preceded by
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne
Summer Olympics
Main venue (Olympic Stadium)

1960
Succeeded by
National Stadium
Tokyo
Preceded by
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Madrid
UEFA European Championship
Final venue

1968
Succeeded by
Heysel Stadium
Brussels
Preceded by
Helsinki Olympic Stadium
Helsinki
European Athletics Championships
Main venue

1974
Succeeded by
Stadion Evžena Rošického
Prague
Preceded by
Luzhniki Stadium
Moscow
Summer Universiade
Main venue

1975
Succeeded by
Vassil Levski Stadium
Sofia
Preceded by
Hampden Park
Glasgow
European Cup
Final venue

1977
Succeeded by
Wembley
London
Preceded by
Stadion Crvena Zvezda
Belgrade
UEFA European Championship
Final venue

1980
Succeeded by
Parc des Princes
Paris
Preceded by
Olympic Stadium
Athens
European Cup
Final venue

1984
Succeeded by
Heysel Stadium
Brussels
Preceded by
Helsinki Olympic Stadium
Helsinki
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
Main venue

1987
Succeeded by
National Stadium
Tokyo
Preceded by
Estadio Azteca
Mexico City
FIFA World Cup
Final venue

1990
Succeeded by
Rose Bowl
Los Angeles (Pasadena)
Preceded by
Ernst-Happel-Stadion
Vienna
UEFA Champions League
Final venue

1996
Succeeded by
Olympiastadion
Munich
Preceded by
Luzhniki Stadium
Moscow
UEFA Champions League
Final venue

2009
Succeeded by
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
Madrid
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