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Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti
The Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, also known as El Monumental de Nunez or River Plate Stadium, is a stadium in the Belgrano district of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the home venue of Club Atletico River Plate and is named after former club president Antonio Vespucio Liberti. El Monumental is considered to be the national stadium of Argentina.
The stadium was renamed after Antonio Vespucio Liberti on November 29, 1986.
History
In 1934, River Plate had existed for 33 years. They had won a title in the amateur and one professional. At that time the Club was known as "millionaires" with their expensive contracts. He was president Antonio Vespucio Liberti, the first of his four periods. The court Alvear and Tagle, where he played, he was too long the popular club.
On 31 October 1934 purchased the land where it was to build the new stadium in Nunez. As there was to spend the Centennial Avenue and National Road, River was exempt from said.
The work for many a dream in that inhospitable and despised, he had written his first chapter. On 25 May 1935 the cornerstone was laid on the campus of Centennial Avenue and River Plate. On 1 December of that year the Steering Committee presented to members at a Special Assembly, the approved plans and detailed account of the work performed. They obtained a loan of $ 2,500,000 pesos from the government and the September 27, 1936 construction began under the direction of architects Jose Aslan and Hector Ezcurra.
And so it was winning the hard battle to river. The initial cost of the work reached the figure of 4,479,545.80, but decreased about 3 million dollars when the committee decided to delete at the time the building of the north gallery.
A distinctive feature of construction was to be chosen directly by the foundation, six or eight feet deep, with open pit excavation for the stability of the ground permit, and pumping bilge water that had burst. The construction of the three stands was completed in two years. Was run 50 km in steps, with 26,000 square meters of concrete and armor almost 3,000 tonnes of steel. A few years later when the course was in World War II, the steel used would have cost more than it took the whole stadium.
May always been the month at River also chose to inaugurate the new stadium. On Wednesday 25, about 8,000 people witnessed the surrender of a flag of Argentina and one from the club, paid for by a group of associates, and sang the national anthem and the progress of River.
The next day, the festival brought together nearly 120,000 spectators. After various activities the great evening was completed with the match played between River and Penarol from Uruguay, with the Argentines victory by 3 to 1.
Reforms
1958
The shoe was partially closed in 1958, chaired by Enrique Pardo and that new construction, the audience Cologne was decisive money paid (10 million pesos) for the transfer of Omar Sivori to Juventus of Italy. With conclusion on the podium, the capacity reached 130,000.
1978
In 1976 the military junta led by Jorge Rafael Videla, who had taken power in a coup, established the body known as the World autarkic entity 78 (EAM 78) in order to give the country a perfect organization of the maximum global football event. Remodelling of stadiums, construction of three buildings and a total development of the logistics infrastructure, tourism and communications were the priority of the government.
EAM78 project was held by the army, to be sure that the money was handled at the World Cup should not be "justified" . This money was mainly used to build stadiums that cost about 5 times more than those of Spain in 1982.
It was from his assumption that the costs began to climb so unprecedented, reaching $ 520 million.
The completion of the World of 1978 led to a military government loan to River-was completely remodeled the stadium. River took many years to pay contributions due to changes in currency, which hurt him greatly. Coincidentally, the largest party in the Monumental public until 1982, was the game between San Lorenzo and Tigre, the first "B" when the team does not have stadium Boedo to 74,000 people took to the Monumental. At the end of freedom with America de Cali was attended by approximately 85,000 spectators. Se 1986/1996 also estimated that in the final of Copa America 1987, Argentina Uruguay, most of 87000 spectators attended. The total length of the stands of the stadium is over 70 kilometers.
Facilities
The stadium has room for 66,449 people, and was renewed for the 1978 World Cup; the opening and final matches were both held in the Monumental, which had a capacity of 76,600 at the time because all of the popular stands were standing-only.
The stadium complex also has facilities for tennis, basketball, and other sports, as well as living quarters for young footballers, a theatre hall, a parking lot, museum etc. It can be accessed by several train and bus lines, as it is located within walking distance from the Barrancas de Belgrano transportation hub. Contrary to most other stadiums in the Buenos Aires area, there is a sizable car park by the stadium.
Sporting events held
The Monumental, aside from being where River Plate plays as host team, is also the stadium where the Argentine National Football Team usually plays as host, in events such as the FIFA World Cup qualification.
Rugby union matches featuring the Argentina national rugby union team, Los Pumas, also take place occasionally in this field, although the Pumas more frequently play at another Buenos Aires venue, Velez Sarsfield.
The Monumental also hosted the closing ceremonies and the athletics events of the First Pan Amrican Games in 1951.
Concerts,
When an international music superstar or band comes to the country, their concerts are held in this stadium, as it is the biggest in the country.
International acts that played the stadium includes AC/DC, Aerosmith, Alejandro Sanz, Backstreet Boys, Black Sabbath, Bob Dylan, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, Coldplay, Evanescence, Franz Ferdinand, Guns N' Roses, Iron Maiden, Keane, Kiss, Korn, Madonna, Metallica, Michael Jackson, Oasis, Ozzy Osbourne, Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rod Stewart, Roger Waters, Shakira, Slayer, The Police, The Ramones, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, U2, have played here, among others.
National acts that played the stadium includes Soda Stereo, La Renga, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Piojos and Bersuit Vergabarat.
Madonna performed 4 sold-out concerts in December 2008 as part of her Sticky & Sweet Tour: during two of these concerts, an official DVD of the tour was filmed. She holds the record for fastest sell out concert at the stadium for her first show, with 3 hours and more than 65,000 tickets sold.
She already performed there in 1993 on her Girlie Show Tour for 2 concerts.
AC/DC performed three sold out shows in late 2009 on their Black Ice World Tour and they will capture them on film for their Black Ice World Tour DVD.
American heavy metal band Metallica performed in January 2010. Guns N' Roses have sold out their Chinese Democracy South American Tour stop at the Monumental, scheduled for 20 March, 2010.
Soda Stereo holds the record for the highest number of concerts in the stadium. The band played six sold out concerts in 2007 as part of their Me Veras Volver reunion tour.
1978 FIFA World Cup
The stadium served as venue for the following matches of the world tournament:
See also
Club Atletico River Plate
Antonio Vespucio Liberti
List of association football stadiums by capacity
External links
Sitio Oficial del Club Atletico River Plate
Club Atletico River Plate official history
In depth history of 'El Monumental'
History of the stadium 'El Monumental' (written by fans)
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti
