The Olympic Ring
When the city hosted the 1992 Olympic Games, the city became the world’s capital during a fortnight which will be etched forever in people’s memories. The Olympic Ring on Montjuïc was the nerve centre of the festivities.
One of the buildings that heralded the city’s entry into the contemporary era was the Palau Sant Jordi, a large, covered sports complex used for all kinds of sporting, recreational and cultural events.
This new sports palace, which is Barcelona’s largest covered sports facility, was designed by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki and is the fulcrum of the Olympic Ring on Montjuïc, which became the epicentre of the 1992 Olympics.
The dome was raised from the ground using innovative hydraulic technology and its imposing outline is reminiscent of a turtle, an organic element that ties in with Gaudí's work and its mountain setting.
A masterpiece of engineering, the dome is underpinned by a base connected by a curving element which gives a harmonious feel to the entire site. The structure and materials used lend great versatility to this multipurpose venue, which can hold 17,000 people seated and 24,000 when concerts are being held.
Outside the building there are a series of sculptures by Aiko Miyawaki, a delicate ensemble of 36 concrete cylinders topped by metal rings and steel cables that gleam in the evening light.
The Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium was built for the 1929 International Exhibition. It was refurbished for the 1992 Olympic Games and occupies a privileged place in the memories of the people of Barcelona. Landmark events such as the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic and Paralympic Games and the athletics competitions were held in this venue, as the Museu Olímpic i de l'Esport across the road from the stadium reminds us. It is now rated as a five-star venue by UEFA, which entitles it to host top-level European matches. The stadium is named after Lluís Companys, leader of the Catalan government during the Spanish Civil War.
Next to the imposing Olympic Stadium, stands the striking communications tower designed by the Valencian engineer and architect Santiago Calatrava.
A 136-metre-high, steel sloping structure, its outline is reminiscent of an athlete’s body and its base is covered in broken mosaic trencadís tiles, in clear reference to one of the techniques used by Gaudí.
The orientation of the tower means that the shadow of the central needle projected on to the adjacent Plaça d’Europe acts as a sundial.
After the Games, Barcelona has become the first major European city with its own Olympics museum, the Museu Olímpic i de l'Esport.
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