Beijing National Stadium facts for kids
| Bird's Nest | |
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| 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 2025 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 |
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The Beijing National Stadium is a famous sports building in Beijing, China. It's officially called the National Stadium, but most people know it as the Bird's Nest because of its unique design. This amazing stadium was built for the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
Building the stadium cost about US$423 million. After the Olympics, the stadium faced challenges in attracting many events. To help with this, plans were made to add a shopping mall and a hotel nearby. This would help the stadium be used more often.
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Design and Features
The Bird's Nest has a very special design. The stands on the east and west sides are built higher than the north and south sides. This helps everyone in the stadium get a better view of the action.
Eco-Friendly Design
The stadium is also designed to be kind to the environment. There's a system that collects rainwater 24 hours a day. This water is cleaned and then used all around the stadium.
Temperature Control
To keep the stadium comfortable, pipes were placed under the playing field. In winter, these pipes gather heat to warm the stadium. In summer, they collect coldness to cool it down. This smart system helps save energy.
Seating Capacity
When it was first designed, the stadium could hold 100,000 people. However, 9,000 seats were removed from the final plan. After the 2008 Olympics, another 11,000 temporary seats were taken out. Now, the stadium can hold 80,000 people.
Major Events and Uses
The Beijing National Stadium has hosted many exciting events since it opened.
Sports Competitions
- In 2009, it hosted the 2009 Race of Champions, which is a big motorsport event.
- In July 2010, a friendly football match took place between Premier League team Birmingham City and Beijing Guoan.
- The stadium also hosted the 2011 Supercoppa Italiana in August 2011. This was the second time this Italian football super cup was held at the Bird's Nest in three years.
- The 2015 World Championships in Athletics were also held at the Beijing National Stadium.
- The stadium was also used for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Images for kids
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Bird's Nest in 2008
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Under construction in September 2007
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The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. The cauldron that would burn for the duration of the games is pictured on the left hand side, hidden in darkness away from the spectators.
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The stage for the 2017 League of Legends World Championship finals between SK Telecom T1 and Samsung Galaxy
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The Beijing National Stadium at night during the Summer Olympics
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Interior view of the stadium
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Architectural detail of the stadium's exterior
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Beijing National Stadium at night
See also
In Spanish: Estadio Nacional de Pekín para niños
