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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Camp de Les Corts, often called Les Corts, was a famous football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was the home for FC Barcelona for many years. The club played there until 1957. After that, they moved to their new stadium, the Camp Nou. Another team, CD Condal, also played all their games at Les Corts.
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What Was Les Corts Stadium?
Les Corts stadium was built because the club president, Joan Gamper, wanted FC Barcelona to have its own special home. It took the place of an older stadium called Camp de la Indústria.
The stadium first opened its doors in 1922. At the beginning, it could hold about 20,000 fans. The very first football game played at Les Corts was between FC Barcelona and a Scottish team called St Mirren.
Important Games and Events
Les Corts hosted some big football matches.
- On May 13, 1923, it held the final of the Copa del Rey (a major Spanish cup competition). The teams playing were Athletic Bilbao and CE Europa.
- On December 21, 1924, the stadium saw an international game. The Spanish national team played against the Austrian national team.
A Difficult Moment for the Stadium
On June 24, 1925, something happened that caused the stadium to close for six months. During a game, FC Barcelona fans showed their disapproval during the Spanish national anthem. Then, they cheered loudly for the British anthem, God Save the King. This anthem was played by a visiting British Royal Marine band.
The government at the time, led by Primo de Rivera, was not happy. They accused Joan Gamper, the club president, of encouraging Catalan pride. Because of this, Les Corts stadium was shut down. Gamper was also asked to leave Spain.
FC Barcelona's Success at Les Corts
Les Corts was the home of FC Barcelona during two of their most successful periods. In the 1920s, the team was amazing. They had a great coach, Jack Greenwell. Famous players like Paulino Alcántara, Sagibarba, Ricardo Zamora, Josep Samitier, Félix Sesúmaga, and Franz Platko played there.
During this time, the club won many Campionat de Catalunya titles. They became one of the best teams in Spain. Building on this success, FC Barcelona also won the very first La Liga title while playing at Les Corts.
Why a New Stadium Was Needed
By the late 1940s, FC Barcelona had become too big for Les Corts. The stadium had been made larger many times. It could eventually hold up to 60,000 people. However, there was no more space to make it bigger.
So, in 1950, the club started planning a brand new stadium. This new stadium would be the Camp Nou. FC Barcelona moved into their new home when it opened on September 24, 1957.
What Happened to Les Corts?
After Les Corts closed, the club worked hard to change the area. They wanted to use the land for homes and shops. This process took a long time, but they eventually succeeded.
The old stadium started to be taken down on February 2, 1966. The total area of the property was about 26,990 square meters. A large part of this, about 15,300 square meters, was turned into parks and sports areas. These new facilities included basketball and hockey courts, and swimming pools. Homes and shops were built on the rest of the land.
