Estadio Nacional de Chile
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| Estadio Nacional de Chile | |
|---|---|
| El Nacional | |
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| Location | Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile |
| Broke ground | 1937-1938 |
| Opened | 1938 |
| Expanded | 1962 |
| Owner | Chile Deportes |
| Surface | Grass |
| Tenants | Chile national football team Universidad de Chile |
| Capacity | 67,000 |
| Field dimensions | 105 m x 68 m |
The Estadio Nacional de Chile is the national stadium of Chile. It is located in Ñuñoa, Greater Santiago. It is the largest stadium in Chile with an official capacity of almost 67,000, and is part of a large sporting complex which also features tennis courts, swimming pools, and a modern gymnasium.
Construction began in February 1937 and the stadium was inaugurated on December 3, 1938. The architecture was based on the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany. The stadium became infamous after its use for internment of opponents by the military regime following the 1973 Chilean coup d'état.
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[edit] History
It is used mostly for football matches and was one of the four venues of the 1962 FIFA World Cup, hosting the opening game, a quarter final, a semi final, the third-place match, and the final. As such, it was the scene of the Chile national team's greatest-ever accomplishment, the 1-0 victory over Yugoslavia for third place on 16 June 1962. Today, the Estadio Nacional serves as the home field for both the national team and first-division club Universidad de Chile. It also holds some big non-sporting events such as political celebrations or charity spectacles. Currently, there is a group of Chilean politicians trying to change the name to Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, in honor of a recently deceased journalist.
[edit] Attendances
The highest attendance for a match at Estadio Nacional to date is 85,268, for a Primera Division match, when Universidad de Chile beats Universidad Catolica 4-1 on December 29, 1962.
[edit] Concerts
Bon Jovi, Chayanne, Cindy Lauper, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Eric Clapton, Evanescence, Franz Ferdinand, Guns N' Roses, Illapu, Iron Maiden, Korn, La Ley, Lenny Kravitz, Los Bunkers, Los Jaivas, Los Prisioneros, Los Tres, Luis Miguel, Metallica, Michael Jackson, New Kids on the Block, Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, The Ramones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Robbie Williams, Rod Stewart,RBD, Roger Waters, Shakira, Silvio Rodríguez, Sinead O'Connor, Soda Stereo, Sting, The Police, The Rolling Stones, U2, Whitney Houston, High School Musical.
[edit] Use during the coup
The Estadio Nacional was used during the 1973 Chilean coup d'état for the internment of 40,000 detainees, between September and November of that year. The field and gallery were used to hold men, while women were held in the swimming pool changing rooms and associated buildings. Locker rooms and corridors were used to torture and murder prisoners[citation needed], while interrogations were carried out in the velodrome.
It is sometimes mistakenly believed that Chilean folk singer and political activist Víctor Jara was murdered at Estadio Nacional. He was actually murdered at the Estadio Chile, which was renamed in his honor in 2003.[1]
FIFA president of the time Sir Stanley Rous insisted the USSR team to play a World Cup qualifier at the time. The Soviets naturally refused and Chile were qualified for the 1974 World Cup, where they failed to advance from a group coming third containing both FR Germany and the GDR as well as Australia.
The documentary film, Estadio Nacional, was based on the stadium and its use during the coup d'état.
[edit] External links
- Football Temples of the World-Chile
- Comisión Nacional sobre Prisión Política y Tortura (Spanish)
- National Commission on Political Prison and Tortures (Google translation of above)
[edit] References
| Preceded by Estadio Nacional Lima |
South American Championship Finals Venue 1941 |
Succeeded by Centenario Stadium Montevideo |
| Preceded by Råsunda Stadium Stockholm |
FIFA World Cup Final Venue 1962 |
Succeeded by Wembley Stadium London |
| Preceded by Estádio do Maracanã Rio de Janeiro |
Copa América Final Round Matches 1991 |
Succeeded by Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo Guayaquil |
| Preceded by Kungliga Tennishallen Stockholm |
Davis Cup Final Venue 1976 |
Succeeded by White City Stadium Sydney |
