Camp de Les Corts facts for kids
Camp de Les Corts in 1930
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| Full name | Camp de les Corts |
|---|---|
| Owner | FC Barcelona |
| Operator | FC Barcelona CD Condal |
| Capacity | 60,000 |
| Field size | 101 m × 62 m (331 ft × 203 ft) |
| Acreage | 26,990 m2 (290,500 sq ft) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 20 May 1922 |
| Expanded | 1926 |
| Demolished | 2 February 1966 |
| Architect | Jaume Mestres Josep Alemany |
| Tenants | |
| FC Barcelona (1922–1957) CD Condal (1934–1970) |
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The Camp de Les Corts, often called Les Corts, was a famous sports stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was the home stadium for the well-known football club FC Barcelona for many years. The club played there from 1922 until 1957. After that, FC Barcelona moved to its current home, the Camp Nou. Another club, CD Condal, also called Les Corts their home for their entire history.
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Les Corts Stadium: A Historic Home for FC Barcelona
Les Corts was more than just a stadium; it was a place where many important football moments happened. It saw FC Barcelona grow into one of the biggest clubs in the world. The stadium was a central part of Barcelona's sports history for over 30 years.
Building a New Home
The idea for Les Corts came from Joan Gamper, who was the president of FC Barcelona. He wanted the club to have its very own stadium. Les Corts was built to replace an older stadium called Camp de la Indústria. It was a big step forward for the club.
Early Days and Big Games
The stadium first opened its doors on May 20, 1922. When it first opened, it could hold 20,000 fans. The very first game played there was between FC Barcelona and a team from Scotland, St Mirren.
Les Corts quickly became a popular place for major football events. On May 13, 1923, it hosted the final match of the Copa del Rey tournament. This was a big championship game between Athletic Bilbao and CE Europa. Later, on December 21, 1924, the stadium welcomed the national teams of Spain and Austria for an international match.
A Moment of Trouble
On June 14, 1925, something happened at the stadium that caused a lot of problems. During a game, FC Barcelona fans booed the Spanish national anthem. Then, they cheered loudly for "God Save the King", which was played by a visiting British band.
At that time, Spain was under a strict government led by Primo de Rivera. This government accused Joan Gamper of encouraging Catalan pride. Because of this, Les Corts stadium was closed for six months. Gamper himself was forced to leave Spain.
Years of Glory
Despite the troubles, Les Corts was the home of FC Barcelona during some of its most successful times. In the 1920s, with coach Jack Greenwell and star players like Paulino Alcántara and Josep Samitier, the club was amazing. They won many local championships and became one of the best teams in Spain.
While playing at Les Corts, FC Barcelona also won the very first La Liga title. This is Spain's top football league, and winning it was a huge achievement for the club.
Growing Too Big
By the late 1940s, FC Barcelona had become so popular that Les Corts was no longer big enough. The stadium had been made larger several times, eventually holding 60,000 people. However, there was no more space to expand it further.
So, in 1950, the club started making plans for a brand new, much bigger stadium. This new stadium would become the famous Camp Nou. FC Barcelona officially moved to the Camp Nou when it opened on September 24, 1957.
What Happened After?
After FC Barcelona moved out, Les Corts stadium was no longer used for major matches. The club worked for a long time to change the area around the stadium. They wanted to build homes and shops there.
The old stadium began to be taken down on February 2, 1966. A large part of the land, about 15,300 square meters, was turned into parks and sports areas. These new facilities included basketball and hockey courts, and swimming pools. The rest of the site was used to build new homes and businesses.
Images for kids
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Camp de Les Corts in 1930
External links
- Estadios de España
See also
In Spanish: Campo de Las Corts para niños
