The Camp Nou has been the FC Barcelona stadium since 24th of September 1957, the date of its inauguration. It was designed by architects Francesc Mitjans Miró and Josep Soteras Mauri and it was constructed between 1955 and 1957, using mainly concrete and iron. The whole project cost a staggering 288 million pesetas, which meant the club would spend the following years in heavy debt.
Although it was originally going to go under the official name of ‘Estadi del FC Barcelona’, it soon came to be popularly known as the ‘Camp Nou’ (the ‘new ground’), as opposed to the club’s old home at Les Corts. It was not until the 2000/2001 season that the decision was made to make ‘Camp Nou’ the official name of the stadium.
In the 1998-99 season, UEFA recognised the services and functionalities of the Camp Nou by awarding it five star status.
Apart from being the stage for all of FC Barcelona’s home matches, the Camp Nou has also witnessed several major international finals, including Cup Winners Cup and Champions League finals, and the football final of the 1992 Olympic Games. But it has not only been used for sports, but also several other major international events, such as concerts given by Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson and groups like U2.
Unsurprisingly, the Camp Nou continues to attract local fans and visitors in equal measure. Having been fortunate enough to attend Barcelona home matches from a very young age, I must say that those who can stretch their budget enough to travel to the beautiful Catalan capital should certainly take advantage and buy a ticket to watch Lionel Messi and his FC Barcelona teammates live. It would definitely be a memorable experience you and yours will never forget.
