The Olympic stadium
CHAMPIONS
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LEAGUE
The Olympic Stadium, which will be hosting the final of the
UEFA Champions League, is part of the Foro Italico sports
complex lying between Monte Mario and the river Tiber.
The original complex was built in the 1930s and was renovated
in the 1950s to provide a 54,000-seat stadium for the 1960
Olympic Games in Rome. The new complex, which was first
completely knocked downexcept for the Tribuna Tevere then
rebuilt and roofed over for the 1990 World Cup Finals, has a
seating capacity of 82,922, including 553 seats in the press box.
STRUCTURAL DESIGN
The part of the bowl-shaped stadium built in 1990 (curved
sections and Tribuna Monte Mario) is constructed in the same
geometrical design as the roof. The stadium has 80 rows of
reinforced concrete steps. The stadium's longitudinal and
transverse diameters measure 314,46 and 220,30 metres
respectively.
ROOF
The roofs structural system consists of:
an external perimeter ring with a reticular spatial structure
constructed out of tubular steel poles. The ring rests on 12 steel
columns, plus 4 site-cast reinforced concrete columns,
surrounded by four flights of steps. The reinforced concrete
columns absorb horizontal pressure due to such forces as the
action of the wind or seismic motion;
an internal ring: constructed out of 12 cables measuring 86
millimetres in diameter arranged in a concentric line to the
external ring.
Tensile Structures
These structures connect the external ring to the internal ring
and are constructed out of 78 upper bearing cables and 78
lower stabilising cables connected to vertical tie-rods. The roof
projection of the tensile structures is 45 metres.
Secondary Structures
As well as supporting the roof surface, this structure also acts
as a support for the lighting fixtures for the stands and pitch,
the drainage sewers and the service-maintenance gangway.
Roofing System
The roof is constructed out of sections of skin stretched over a
secondary structure and cone-shaped units covering the
external perimeter ring. The roof is a actually made of
polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and tough mesh made of glass
fibre.
LIGHTING
Multivapour high-intensity discharge lights have been chosen
for the main stadium to ensure high-quality television pictures.
Each of the 300 lights has a power rating of 1800 watts.
MAGIC NIGHTS
The Olympic Stadium (owned by the Italian Olympic
Committee) is where Rome and Lazio play their home fixtures,
but it has also hosted a number of other events over the year.
Nobody will ever forget the excitement of the 1960 Olympics
held in this stadium, where Livio Berruti won his victory in the
200 metres and Wilma Rudolph, the black gazelle, took three
gold medals. The only time Italy has ever won the European
Nations Football Championships was when they were held in
this stadium in 1968. Valcareggi's team had to work overtime to
win the title; the first final was dominated by the Yugoslavian
team and Italy only equalised thanks to an 80th minute free by
Domenghini. The match finished a one-all draw after extra time,
but Italy went on to win the replay 2-0 (with goals by Riva and
Anastasi) on 10th June 1968. The Olympic Stadium suddenly lit
up with torches as if by magic. Rome then played Liverpool
here in the European Cup Final on 30th May 1984. The match
seemed to be a mere formality for Liedholm's team, since the
ground was overflowing with Rome supporters. But fate had it
that the last European Cup final to be played at the home
ground of one of the finalists was won by the away team.
Liverpool won on penalties and the celebrations the Rome
supporters had planned ended in disappointment and dismay.
The 1990 World Cup in Italy will be remembered for its "magic
nights". Vicini's Italian team were the hot favourites to win the
World Cup. The team won its four qualifying matches and
quarter final against Ireland at the Olympic Stadium, but then
moved to Naples for the semifinal against Maradona's
Argentina, which it surprisingly lost on penalties. Germany won
its third ever World Cup at the Olympic Stadium on 8th July
1990, beating Argentina thanks to a penalty by Brehme.
The next magic night will be 22nd May 1996 when Juventus
and Ajax will meet in another historic encounter.
