Stockholm Olympic Stadium (Swedish: Stockholms Olympiastadion), most often called Stockholms stadion or (especially locally) simply Stadion, is a stadium in Stockholm, Sweden. Designed by architect Torben Grut, it was opened in 1912, its original use was as a venue for the 1912 Olympic Games. At the 1912 Games, it hosted the athletics, some of the equestrian, some of the football, gymnastics, the running part of the modern pentathlon, tug of war, and wrestling events.[1] It has a capacity of 13,145–14,500 depending on usage and a capacity of nearly 33,000 for concerts.
The Stadium was the home ground for association football team Djurgårdens IF for many decades, until the more modern Tele2 Arena was inaugurated in 2013. Djurgårdens IF still has offices in the Stadium building.
In 1956, when Melbourne hosted the Olympics, the equestrian competitions were held here due to quarantine rules in Australia.[2] In 1958 the stadium was the venue of the European Athletics Championships. Finland-Sweden athletics international has been held here 29 times. The annual Stockholm Marathon finishes with a three quarter lap around the tracks of the stadium. Since 1967 the stadium has been the venue of the annual international athletics meeting DN Galan, from 2011 part of Diamond League. Originally, the north-east stand had two levels, increasing the capacity to about 20,000. After the Olympics, it was reduced to one level.
The Metro station Stadion was opened in 1973.
Some sections of the stadium were damaged by a bomb attack on 8 August 1997. Mats Hinze was later found guilty for it, who was against Stockholm's bid for the 2004 Summer Olympics.[3]
Other events[]
Since then, it has hosted numerous sports events, notably football and track and field athletics, but also for example, 50 Swedish Championship finals in bandy and hosted concerts.
In 1985, Bethany College head coach and future College Football Hall of Fame member Ted Kessinger brought the first American football team to play in Sweden. The Bethany "Terrible Swedes" defeated the Swedish all-star team 72–7.[4]
Records[]
It is one of the smallest athletics stadium ever used in a Summer Olympic Games.
Stockholms stadion has seen more athletics world records broken than any other stadium in the world, with a total of 83 as of 2008.[5]
The record attendance, for football, is 21,995 and was set on 16 August 1946, when Djurgårdens IF played AIK. The record attendance, for bandy, is 28,848 and was set in 1959.
In 1995, The Rolling Stones performed at the stadium in front of 35,200 people.
Kiss sold out the stadium, by selling all 32,500 tickets in less than 20 minutes, during their 2008 World Tour. Kiss also played 2 nights at this stadium during their 1996–97 reunion tour Alive/Worldwide.
Michael Jackson performed on stage twice on July 17–18, 1992, during Dangerous World Tour. Each show had 53.000 viewers. In total 106.000 viewers.
Bruce Springsteen has performed at the stadium no less than eight times. Twice in 1988, once 1993, twice in 1999 and again in 2009 playing three sold-out shows to approximately 100.000 people.
AC/DC performed at the stadium on 3 June 2010 in front of 32,768 people
Gallery[]
Stockholms Olympiastadion as seen from the south at the opening of the 1912 Summer Olympics. For the Games, the capacity was 20.000.
Yuri Gagarin and Göran Sedvall at the 1964 national bandy final
Arsenal Stadium, Champion Hill, Craven Cottage, Empire Stadium (medal matches), Fratton Park, Goldstone Ground, Green Pond Road, Griffin Park, Lynn Road, Selhurst Park, White Hart Lane
1950s
1952
Helsinki Football Ground, Arto Tolsa Areena (Kotka), Lahden kisapuisto (Lahti), Olympic Stadium (final), Tampere, Turku
1956
Melbourne Cricket Ground (final), Olympic Park Stadium
Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium, Mitsuzawa Football Field, Nagai Stadium, Tokyo National Stadium (final), Nishikyogoku Athletic Stadium, Ōmiya Football Field, Prince Chichibu Memorial Football Field
International Stadium Yokohama (both finals), Kashima Soccer Stadium, Miyagi Stadium, Saitama Stadium, Sapporo Dome, Tokyo Stadium
Parc des Princes (both finals), Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Stade de la Beaujoire, Stade de Nice, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Stade Matmut Atlantique, Stadium Municipal, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Stade Vélodrome
SoFi Stadium, Banc of California Stadium, Rose Bowl, Levi's Stadium, PayPal Park, Stanford Stadium, California Memorial Stadium
2030s
Barlow Park, Lang Park, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, North Queensland Stadium, Sunshine Coast Stadium, Sydney Football Stadium, Robina Stadium, Toowoomba Sports Ground