Your favorite Olympic stadium

[AFTERBURNER]

Mine is "Estadio Olimpico Universitario" in Mecixo City.

And yours?

[dukehjsteve]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

Stadio Olympico Rome 1960

[kuha]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

Stockholm

[dj]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

Stockholm

Agree. Followed by Berlin*, Rome*, LA (among those I've seen).

* Before the canopies were added.

[Jackaloupe]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

Before the canopies were added.

Montreal was OK, but the construction crane and partially completed dome were weird. So were some aspects of the Closing Ceremonies: Just as the French-accented Announcer was intoning, "Ladees and Jentlemen, three hundred jung Girrlls (would form Olympic Rings)" an actual Streaker whipped around and thru said Rrings! Security had the sense not to plunge into the riff, but had a blanket waiting as he emerged--unscathed by all those Girrlss...

Atlanta was traditional US Sports Complex, w/ Beisbol right next door. They sure didn't get the Temp/Humidity, at least at the Trials (a nice touch to give US Athletes an advantage), when spectators were wilting for lack of water, what with Coca-Cola pushing you-know-what while prohibiting H20 (It was pre-Arjani bottled water days). Mid-trials they were obliged to provided water stations. BTW, Eugene has its own solution (as they're obliged to prohibit actual liquid in the containers you are allowed to bring in, out of concern over alcohol, as mandated by NCAA for one): Water-dispensing racks of multiple spouts, allowing a good dozen fills at a time.

[tandfman]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

Atlanta was traditional US Sports Complex, w/ Beisbol right next door.

The Atlanta Olympic Stadium is now Turner Field, a baseball stadium. It's the same basic stadium, downsized and re-constructed for baseball. I don't recall there being baseball right next door during the Olympic Games. (But I must say that if there had been a baseball field on the other side of where I entered the stadium and sat, I might not have seen it.)

[lonewolf]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

The Atlanta stadium was constructed to be a baseball field.. even had the recess for home plate in the SW corner.. temp stands in the outfield.
Competition facilites were adequate .. stadium aesthecally blah..

[gh]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

...I don't recall there being baseball right next door during the Olympic Games. (But I must say that if there had been a baseball field on the other side of where I entered the stadium and sat, I might not have seen it.)

It's where they played the Olympic baseball; just to the left of the torch (maybe 300m max between them?). During the Games I was able to step out of the announce booth, stand in the stairwell and wave to my girlfriend standing on the upper concourse at a b-ball game.

[gh]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

two favorite stadia both in Greece.

The original in Ancient Olympia absolutely sends shivers up and down your spine. Of course, I'm cheating a bit in that I had the advantage of being one of the few people there at sunrise for the shot competitions in '04 and watching the sun come up over the ruins from which the athletes exited while coming out to throw was a stunner beyond belief.

The original Marble Stadium in downtown Athens is also as awesome as they come.

I'm guessing that Berlin in its full Nazi splendor must have been something. It was still a tingly enough place when I was first there in '86.

[bambam]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

The original in Ancient Olympia absolutely sends shivers up and down your spine. Of course, I'm cheating a bit in that I had the advantage of being one of the few people there at sunrise for the shot competitions in '04 and watching the sun come up over the ruins from which the athletes exited while coming out to throw was a stunner beyond belief.

The original Marble Stadium in downtown Athens is also as awesome as they come.

Agree on both. But although it is not an "Olympic" stadium, the ancient stadium at Delphi (where they held the Pythian Games) in Greece is something special. I was told before going there that Delphi was magical and that was correct. It was almost eerie, seeing it, even more so than Ancient Olympia.

But I did feel at Ancient Olympia, although not a big believer in reincarnation, that I had been there before - sort of like Patton in the movie. I was there before - somehow it just felt that way.

[gh]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

I had that feeling the first time I was in Berlin. (uh-oh)

[lonewolf]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

I agree with gh that Berlin is the most majestic and Olympian of "modern" stadiums.

[CookyMonzta]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

Stockholm 1912. Magnificent architecture. Perfect for the purpose for which it was built, and still worthy of today's track and field. Smart it was for them to use all bleachers instead of taking any chances on seats that were either too wide or too narrow.

What was its seating capacity in 1912, and what is it today?

[kuha]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

Stockholm 1912. Magnificent architecture. Perfect for the purpose for which it was built, and still worthy of today's track and field. Smart it was for them to use all bleachers instead of taking any chances on seats that were either too wide or too narrow.

What was its seating capacity in 1912, and what is it today?

In my mind, Stockholm wins in this category easily, and for multiple reasons. It has been very little messed with or "improved" over the years, and yet is still a living, active facility. Thus, we have a genuine historical landmark that is still a centerpiece in the life of a great city. The only other Olympic stadium that I can think of that we can also say this of is the MCG in Melbourne (which began as a cricket/football grounds and has lived on as such). I love Stockholm's relative simplicity of design and--MOST important of all--its absolutely wonderful intimacy. In just about any seat you are close to the track--for me, at least, a vastly different and more satisfying experience than that provided by any 80 or 100,000 seat stadium. But I will admit to an extreme prejudice for medium-size track venues over the giant bowls needed for all "modern" Olympic games.

[Rob]

Re: Your favorite Olympic stadium

Berlin and Munich.