Olympic Stadia

Articles about iconic Olympic venues past and present, their construction challenges and architectural significance. We cover stadium designs, capacity records, and how these venues shaped their host cities.

Olympics Return to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

The LA Memorial Coliseum hosted the Olympics twice, 50 years apart, and has a remarkable history spanning a century.

Plans for the London 2012 Olympic Stadium

London 2012's Olympic Stadium will shrink from 80,000 seats to 25,000 after the Games for permanent community use.

Sydney, the Largest Stadium in Olympic History

Sydney built the world's largest Olympic stadium with 110,000 seats, costing £302 million and later reconfigured to host multiple sports.

The Race to Finish the Athens Olympic Stadium

Athens raced to finish its Olympic stadium before 2004 as Calatrava's ambitious roof design caused months of delays.

The Spectacular Bird's Nest Stadium Beijing

Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium cost £250million and featured a hotel, restaurant and underground shopping centre, but its construction displaced thousands.