Santiago Bernabeu Stadium
The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is the home ground of the famous Real Madrid club. It is located in the capital of Spain, Madrid. According to the UEFA qualification, it has category 4. Sometimes the Spanish national football team meets rivals at the stadium. The stands can accommodate 81,000 spectators.
Description
The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is named after one of the best football players of the Real Madrid club. From the age of 17, the talented footballer played for the main squad. Previously, the stadium was called Chamartin and was built in 1924. It could accommodate about 25,000 spectators in its stands. In May 1946, the stadium was demolished.
In 1943, S. Bernabeu was elected President of Real Madrid. The following year, he received loan funds to purchase land for a new arena. Chamartin was no longer able to accommodate all the fans and supporters of the club.
A competition for the best stadium design was held for 5 months. The construction was carried out by architects M. Monasterio and L. Soler. After 3 years, the stadium was built. Now its stands could accommodate up to 75 thousand fans. The new sports arena was named Nuevo Estadio Chamartin. In 1955, the stadium was renamed the Santiago Bernabeu. During Santiago's presidency, the club became European champion 6 times and won many lower-level games.
A bit of history
The large-scale opening of the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium took place in 1947. On that day, Real Madrid played with the Portuguese club Belenenses and won 3-1. The first reconstruction took place in 1954. Then the capacity of the stands was increased to 100 thousand.
In 1957, the football battle was held for the first time under the light of powerful floodlights. In 1982, the requirements for spectator safety changed. We had to reconstruct the stands and make 2/3 of them seated. This reduced the number of seats to 91 thousand. Two huge digital scoreboards were installed and the facade of the stadium building was renovated.
In 1998, the stands were equipped with seating only. There are fewer seats for the audience again - 75 thousand. In 2000, F. took the place of the President of the club. Perez. Over the next 6 years, he spent 130 million dollars on the modernization of the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The facade of the eastern stands was built, VIP boxes were built, a press room and offices were decorated. In 2007, according to the UEFA qualification, the stadium received the "elite" category.
In 2019, a new grandiose reconstruction of the stadium began. The pandemic disrupted the plans, but allowed us to shorten the construction period. A retractable pitch is to be installed at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. It will allow for diverse events, both sports - hockey, basketball, and cultural - concerts and shows.
A sliding roof is planned above the stadium, capable of protecting it from the heat. A new digital scoreboard with a 360-degree viewing radius will be installed. Work is already underway. Part of the stands has been dismantled and the lawn has been cleaned.
Visiting the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is the cherished dream of every football fan. After all, recognized football "gods" train and play here.
Soon, the stadium will reopen the stands, and fans will be able to see the next Champions League final, as well as European and world-class football championships, as it has been more than once.
