Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium was originally built with the hope of hosting the 1936 Olympic Games, but Berlin won the vote. The excitement around the stadium wore off, and it wasn’t used until remodelling began around the mid-1980s for the 1992 Olympic Games. The stadium has since added more facilities and services necessary to host the games. However, not everything changed. The front of the building was kept in its original design with white stones and windows lining the front.
In 2001, the Olympic Stadium’s name changed to include Lluís Companys – making the full name Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc Lluís Companys – and honouring the former president of the Government of Catalonia.
Since the 1992 Games, various events have been held at the stadium, including other sporting events like the European Athletics Championships in 2010 and the IAAF World Junior Championships in 2012. The 60,000-capacity stadium has hosted mega stars in the world of rock and pop from Bruce Springsteen and AC/DC to Madonna and Bon Jovi.
It’s free to walk around outside and admire the columns and the ‘river pathway’. If you fancy staying for a tour, you’ll have to sign up so for a tailored visit. Open Camp, the first European theme park dedicated to sport, gave the stadium’s facilities a second use for the public. You can participate in sporting events like archery, open jump, open hurdles and more, imagining that you were a part of the Olympic Games.