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Beijing National Stadium facts for kids

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National Stadium
Bird's Nest
BirdsNestLogo.svg
Beijing national stadium.jpg
Full name National Stadium
Location Beijing, China
Capacity 80,000
91,000 (2008 Olympics)
Surface Grass
Construction
Broke ground 24 December 2003
Opened 28 June 2008
Construction cost US$423 million
($575 million in 2024 dollars )
Architect Herzog & de Meuron
ArupSport
China Architectural Design & Research Group
Ai Weiwei (Artistic consultant)
Structural engineer Arup
Tenants
2008 Summer Olympics
Supercoppa Italiana (2009, 2011–12)
2015 World Championships in Athletics

Beijing National Stadium is a stadium in Beijing, China. It is officially called the National Stadium and also known as the Bird's Nest (鸟巢). The stadium was made for use during the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

The stadium cost US$423 million. A shopping mall and a hotel are planned to be built. This will increase use of the stadium. There was trouble attracting events, football and otherwise, after the Olympics.

Beijing Birds Nest Olympics track
Inside of the stadium during the 2008 Summer Olympics

The eastern and western stands of Beijing National Stadium are higher than northern and southern stands. This is in order to improve sightlines. A 24-hour per day rainwater collector is near the stadium. After water is purified, it is used throughout and around the stadium. Pipes were placed under the playing surface to gather heat in the winter to warm the stadium and coldness in the summer to cool the stadium. The stadium's design originally could fit 100,000 people. 9,000 seats were removed from the design. Then 11,000 temporary seats were removed after the 2008 Olympics. Now the stadium can have 80,000 people.

The stadium hosted the 2009 Race of Champions. In July 2010, the stadium hosted a friendly football match between Premier League team Birmingham City and Beijing Guoan. In August 2011, the Bird's Nest hosted the Supercoppa Italiana. This was the stadium's second in three years.

The 2015 World Championships in Athletics will take place at the Beijing National Stadium.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Estadio Nacional de Pekín para niños

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