MundoAndino Home : Andes Chile Guide at Mundo Andino
Estadio Nacional de Chile
The Estadio Nacional de Chile is the national stadium of Chile. It is located in Nunoa, Greater Santiago. It is the largest stadium in Chile with an official capacity of 65,000, and is part of a large sporting complex which also features tennis courts, swimming pools, and a modern gymnasium.
Construction began in February 1937 and the stadium was inaugurated on December 3 1938. The architecture was based on the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany. The stadium became infamous after its use for internment of opponents by the military regime following the 1973 Chilean coup d'etat.
History
It is used mostly for football matches and was one of the four venues of the 1962 FIFA World Cup, hosting the opening game, a quarter final, a semi final, the third-place match, and the final. As such, it was the scene of the Chile national team's greatest-ever accomplishment, the 1-0 victory over Yugoslavia for third place on 16 June 1962. Today, the Estadio Nacional serves as the home field for both the national team and first-division club Universidad de Chile. It also holds some big non-sporting events such as political celebrations or charity spectacles.
Currently, there is a group of Chilean politicians trying to change the name to Estadio Nacional Julio Martinez Pradanos, in honor of a recently deceased journalist.
Attendances
The highest attendance for a match at Estadio Nacional to date is 85,268, for a [[Liga Chilena de Futbol: Primera Division|Primera Division]] match, when Universidad de Chile beats Universidad Catolica 4-1 on December 29, 1962.
Concerts
Bon Jovi, Chayanne, Cindy Lauper, David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Eric Clapton, Evanescence, Franz Ferdinand, Guns N' Roses, Illapu, Iron Maiden, Korn, La Ley, Lenny Kravitz, Los Bunkers, Los Jaivas, Los Prisioneros, Los Tres, Luis Miguel, Metallica, Michael Jackson, New Kids on the Block, Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, The Ramones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Robbie Williams, Rod Stewart,RBD, Roger Waters, Shakira, Silvio Rodriguez, Sinead O'Connor, Soda Stereo, Sting, The Police, The Rolling Stones, U2, Whitney Houston, High School Musical.
Use during the coup
The Estadio Nacional was used during the 1973 Chilean coup d'etat for the internment of 40,000 detainees, between September and November of that year. The field and gallery were used to hold men, while women were held in the swimming pool changing rooms and associated buildings. Locker rooms and corridors were used to torture and murder prisoners, while interrogations were carried out in the velodrome.
It is sometimes mistakenly believed that Chilean folk singer and political activist Victor Jara was murdered at Estadio Nacional. He was actually murdered at the Estadio Chile, which was renamed in his honor in 2003.
FIFA president of the time Sir Stanley Rous insisted the USSR team to play a World Cup qualifier at the time. The Soviets naturally refused and Chile were qualified for the 1974 World Cup, where they failed to advance from a group containing both FR Germany and the GDR as well as Australia.
The documentary film, Estadio Nacional, was based on the stadium and its use during the coup d'etat.
External links
Football Temples of the World-Chile
Comision Nacional sobre Prision Politica y Tortura
National Commission on Political Prison and Tortures (Google translation of above)
Need more information for your travel research or homework?
Ask your questions at the forum about 1973 in Chile or help others to find answers.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Estadio Nacional de Chile
