2008 Summer Olympic venues
Encyclopedia
For the 2008 Summer Olympics, a total of thirty-seven venues were used, thirty-one in Beijing, and six outside Beijing.
The 2008 Summer Olympic Games
were held in Beijing
, China
from 8 August to 24 August 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 NOCs participated in 302 events in 28 sports held in 37 competition venues. Events took place at eleven pre-existing venues, twelve new venues constructed for the Olympics, and eight temporary venues that were removed following the games. In addition, six venues outside Beijing hosted events, two of which were newly built for the Olympics.
Beijing won its bid to host the 2008 Olympics on 13 July 2001. The first new venues to begin construction were the Beijing National Stadium
, Beijing National Aquatics Center, Beijing Shooting Range Hall
, and the Laoshan Velodrome
, where major work commenced in December 2003. By May 2007, construction had begun at all of the Beijing venues for the games. Approximately RMB¥
13 billion (US$
1.9 billion) was spent to build and renovate the venues.
Several of the venues were located at the Olympic Green
Olympic Park. The largest venue at the games in terms of seating capacity
was the Beijing National Stadium
, also known as the Bird's Nest, which can hold 91,000 spectators and was the site for the opening and closing ceremonies. The smallest venue in terms of seating capacity
was the temporary Laoshan Mountain Bike Course
, which had seating for 2,000 spectators.
The 2008 Summer Olympic Games
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
were held in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
from 8 August to 24 August 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 NOCs participated in 302 events in 28 sports held in 37 competition venues. Events took place at eleven pre-existing venues, twelve new venues constructed for the Olympics, and eight temporary venues that were removed following the games. In addition, six venues outside Beijing hosted events, two of which were newly built for the Olympics.
Beijing won its bid to host the 2008 Olympics on 13 July 2001. The first new venues to begin construction were the Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:...
, Beijing National Aquatics Center, Beijing Shooting Range Hall
Beijing Shooting Range Hall
The Beijing Shooting Range Hall is a shooting hall located in Shijingshan District, Beijing. It hosted the qualifying rounds and finals of ten shooting events at the 2008 Summer Olympics, consisting of all 10-, 25- and 50-metre events. It was the venue of the first gold medal awarded at the...
, and the Laoshan Velodrome
Laoshan Velodrome
The Laoshan Velodrome is a velodrome that is located in Laoshan, Shijingshan District, Beijing, China. It was built for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The venue was tested during the UCI Track World Cup in December 2007....
, where major work commenced in December 2003. By May 2007, construction had begun at all of the Beijing venues for the games. Approximately RMB¥
Renminbi
The Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC...
13 billion (US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1.9 billion) was spent to build and renovate the venues.
Several of the venues were located at the Olympic Green
Olympic Green
The Olympic Green is an Olympic Park in Beijing, China constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Since then, the streets around the park have been used for an exhibition street race of the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2011, after a race at Goldenport Park Circuit in the vicinity.- Beijing...
Olympic Park. The largest venue at the games in terms of seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
was the Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium
Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:...
, also known as the Bird's Nest, which can hold 91,000 spectators and was the site for the opening and closing ceremonies. The smallest venue in terms of seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
was the temporary Laoshan Mountain Bike Course
Laoshan Mountain Bike Course
The Laoshan Mountain Bike Course is a mountain bike cycling venue located in western Beijing, China adjacent to the Laoshan Velodrome. It began its renovation and expansion program in May 2006....
, which had seating for 2,000 spectators.
New competition venues
| Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing National Aquatic Center | Swimming Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held over a thirteen day period from August 9 to August 21, with the conventional events ending on August 17 and the new marathon 10 km events being held on August 20 and 21... , Diving Diving at the 2008 Summer Olympics Diving competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 10 to August 23, at the Beijing National Aquatics Centre.- Competition format :The following events were contested by both men and women in Beijing:... and Synchronized Swimming Synchronized swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics Synchronized swimming competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 18 to August 23, at the Beijing National Aquatics Center.-Medalists:- Schedule :All times are China Standard Time - Team :- Duet :... |
17,000 | |
| Beijing National Indoor Stadium Beijing National Indoor Stadium The Beijing National Indoor Stadium, also known as the National Indoor Stadium , is an indoor arena that is located in the Olympic Green in Beijing, China. The stadium was constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics... |
Gymnastics Gymnastics at the 2008 Summer Olympics At the 2008 Summer Olympics, three different gymnastics disciplines were contested: artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline. The artistic gymnastics events were held at the Beijing National Indoor Stadium on August 9–19. The rhythmic gymnastics events were held at the Beijing... (artistic, trampoline), Handball Handball at the 2008 Summer Olympics thumb|left|240px|Gold medalists [[France]] collect their medals on August 24, 2008Handball competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 9, to August 24, at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium and National Indoor Stadium. Medals were awarded for both Men's and Women's team... (final) |
19,000 | |
| Beijing National Stadium Beijing National Stadium Beijing National Stadium, also known officially as the National Stadium, or colloquially as the Bird's Nest , is a stadium in Beijing, China. The stadium was designed for use throughout the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.-History:... |
Athletics Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking... , Football Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held in Beijing and several other cities in the People's Republic of China from 6 August to 23 August. Associations affiliated with FIFA were invited to send their full women's national teams and men's U-23 teams to participate... (final) |
91,000 | |
| Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium The Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium is an indoor arena located on the campus of the University of Science and Technology Beijing. The venue covers an area of 2.38 hectares and the total floor space of construction reaches 24,662 square metres. The seating capacity is 8,024... |
Judo Judo at the 2008 Summer Olympics Judo competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 9 to August 15 at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium.... , Taekwondo Taekwondo at the 2008 Summer Olympics Taekwondo competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 20 to August 23 at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium. 128 Taekwondo practitioners, 64 men and 64 women, competed in 8 events... |
8,024 | |
| Beijing Shooting Range Hall Beijing Shooting Range Hall The Beijing Shooting Range Hall is a shooting hall located in Shijingshan District, Beijing. It hosted the qualifying rounds and finals of ten shooting events at the 2008 Summer Olympics, consisting of all 10-, 25- and 50-metre events. It was the venue of the first gold medal awarded at the... |
Shooting Shooting at the 2008 Summer Olympics Shooting competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 9 to August 17, at the Beijing Shooting Range Hall and Beijing Shooting Range Clay Target Field... (pistol, rifle) |
9,000 | |
| Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium The Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium is an indoor arena located on the campus of the Beijing University of Technology in the Chaoyang District in Beijing, China.The gymnasium hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics badminton and rhythmic gymnastics events.... |
Badminton Badminton at the 2008 Summer Olympics Badminton competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 9 to August 17 at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium.-Qualification:The qualification for 2008 Summer Olympics began from May 2007 until April 2008... , Gymnastics (rhythmic) |
7,500 | |
| China Agricultural University Gymnasium China Agricultural University Gymnasium The China Agricultural University Gymnasium is an indoor arena located on the campus of the China Agricultural University in Beijing. It hosted the wrestling events of the 2008 Summer Olympics. The Gymnasium's rooftop has a staggered, stair-like design.... |
Wrestling Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics Wrestling competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, were held at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium from August 12–21, 2008. It was split into two disciplines, Freestyle and Greco-Roman which are further divided into different weight categories... |
8,000 | |
| Laoshan Velodrome Laoshan Velodrome The Laoshan Velodrome is a velodrome that is located in Laoshan, Shijingshan District, Beijing, China. It was built for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The venue was tested during the UCI Track World Cup in December 2007.... |
Cycling Cycling at the 2008 Summer Olympics Cycling competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 9 to August 23 at the Laoshan Velodrome , Laoshan Mountain Bike Course, Laoshan BMX Field and the Beijing Cycling Road Course... (track) |
6,000 | |
| Olympic Green Tennis Center | Tennis Tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics Tennis competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 10 to August 17 at the Olympic Green Tennis Centre. The DecoTurf surface rendered the event a hardcourt tournament.... |
17,400 | |
| Peking University Gymnasium Peking University Gymnasium Peking University Gymnasium , nicknamed China's Spine , is an indoor arena located in the southeastern part of Peking University in Beijing, China.... |
Table tennis Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics Table tennis competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 13 to August 23, at the Peking University Gymnasium. The competition featured the team events for the first time, replacing the doubles events competed in previous games... |
8,000 | |
| Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park The Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park is the new, purpose-built venue for the rowing, canoeing and 10 km open-water swimming events in the 2008 Summer Olympics. It is located in Mapo Village in the Shunyi District in Beijing.... |
Rowing Rowing at the 2008 Summer Olympics Rowing competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 9 to August 17, at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park.- Events :14 sets of medals were awarded in the following events:*Single sculls men*Pairs men... , Canoeing Canoeing at the 2008 Summer Olympics Canoeing competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 11 to August 23 at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park in Beijing.... , and Swimming (marathon) |
37,000 | |
| Wukesong Indoor Stadium | Basketball Basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics Basketball contests at the 2008 Olympic Games were held from August 9, 2008 to August 24, 2008. Competitions were held at the Wukesong Indoor Stadium in Beijing, China... |
18,000 |
Existing competition venues
| Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beihang University Gymnasium Beihang University Gymnasium Beihang University Gymnasium is a 5,400-seat indoor arena located on the campus of Beihang University in Beijing, China. It hosted weightlifting competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics and powerlifting competitions at the 2008 Summer Paralympics.-Reference:... |
Weightlifting Weightlifting at the 2008 Summer Olympics Weightlifting competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 9 to August 19. Competitions were conducted at the Beihang University Gymnasium.-Events:15 sets of medals were awarded in the following events:... |
5,400 | |
| Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium is a 5,000-seat indoor arena located on the campus of Beijing Institute of Technology in Beijing, China. It hosted volleyball competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the goalball competition at the 2008 Summer Paralympics.-Reference:*... |
Volleyball Volleyball at the 2008 Summer Olympics Volleyball competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from 9 to 24 August 2008. Indoor volleyball events were held at Capital Indoor Stadium and Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium... |
5,000 | |
| Beijing Shooting Range Clay Target Field Beijing Shooting Range Clay Target Field The Beijing Shooting Range Clay Target Field is a shooting range in the Shijingshan District of Beijing, China. It was under renovation and was completed in August 2007 for the 2008 Summer Olympics.... |
Shooting (shotgun) | 5,000 | |
| Capital Indoor Stadium Capital Indoor Stadium The Capital Indoor Stadium is an indoor arena in Beijing, China that was built in 1968. It hosted matches between national table tennis teams of China and the United States in 1971; these matches were part of the exchange program known as ping pong diplomacy.Capital Indoor Stadium recently... |
Volleyball (final) | 18,000 | |
| Fengtai Softball Field Fengtai Softball Field Fengtai Softball Field, or Fengtai Sports Center Softball Field is a softball stadium located in Beijing, China. It hosted the softball competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics.... |
Softball Softball at the 2008 Summer Olympics Softball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing took place over a ten day period starting August 12 and culminating in the medal finals on August 21. All games were played at the Fengtai Softball Field... |
13,000 | |
| Laoshan Mountain Bike Course Laoshan Mountain Bike Course The Laoshan Mountain Bike Course is a mountain bike cycling venue located in western Beijing, China adjacent to the Laoshan Velodrome. It began its renovation and expansion program in May 2006.... |
Cycling (Mountain Bike) | 2,000 | |
| Olympic Sports Centre | Football, Modern Pentathlon Modern pentathlon at the 2008 Summer Olympics Modern pentathlon competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held on August 21 and August 22 at the Olympic Sports Centre Stadium , Ying Tung Natatorium , and the Olympic Green Convention Center .-Medal summary:- Men :An NOC may enter up to 2 athletes in each event... (riding, running) |
36,228 | |
| Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium | Handball Handball at the 2008 Summer Olympics thumb|left|240px|Gold medalists [[France]] collect their medals on August 24, 2008Handball competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 9, to August 24, at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium and National Indoor Stadium. Medals were awarded for both Men's and Women's team... |
7,000 | |
| Workers Indoor Arena Workers Indoor Arena The Workers' Indoor Arena, also known as Beijing Workers' Gymnasium , is an indoor arena located west of the Workers Stadium in Beijing, China. It was inaugurated in 1961 for the 26th World Table Tennis Championships.... |
Boxing Boxing at the 2008 Summer Olympics The boxing program of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China was held at the Workers Indoor Arena.Medals were awarded in eleven events, with each event corresponding to a recognized weight division of male boxers... |
13,000 | |
| Workers Stadium Workers Stadium The Workers Stadium , often called Gongti or Gong Ti, is a multi-purpose stadium in the Chaoyang District of north-eastern Beijing, China. It is mostly used for football matches... |
Football | 70,161 | |
| Ying Tung Natatorium Ying Tung Natatorium The Ying Tung Natatorium is a swimming venue located in the Olympic Sports Centre in Beijing, China with a seating capacity of 4,852. It was upgraded for the 2008 Summer Olympics and expanded to 44,635 square metres. It hosted Olympic water polo matches and the swimming part of the modern... |
Water Polo Water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics Water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held from 10 August to 24 August 2008 at the Ying Tung Natatorium in Beijing, People's Republic of China.-Men's medalists:-Women's medalists:-Men:-Women:-External links:**... , Modern Pentathlon (swimming) |
4,852 |
Temporary competition venues
| Venue | Sports | Capacity | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beach Volleyball Ground Beach Volleyball Ground The Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground is one of 9 temporary venues to be used for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It is located in Chaoyang Park in Beijing. The ground was used for the beach volleyball matches.... |
Volleyball (beach) | 12,000 | |
| BMX Field | Cycling (BMX) | 4,000 | |
| Olympic Green Archery Field Olympic Green Archery Field The Olympic Green Archery Field was one of nine temporary venues for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It hosted the archery events.The field occupied 9.22 hectares and had a seating capacity of 5,000. After the games it was dismantled and the site became open space.-Reference:*... |
Archery Archery at the 2008 Summer Olympics Archery at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held over a seven day period from August 9 to August 15. The events took place at the Olympic Green Archery Field, a temporary venue on the Olympic Green, Beijing's Olympic Park.-Competition Format:... |
5,000 | |
| Olympic Green Convention Center | Fencing Fencing at the 2008 Summer Olympics Fencing competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 9 to August 17 at the Olympic Green Convention Center.-Medal table:-Men's events:-Women's events:- Events :10 sets of medals were awarded in the following events:... , Modern Pentathlon (fencing, shooting) |
5,695 | |
| Olympic Green Hockey Field Olympic Green Hockey Field The Olympic Green Hockey Field was one of nine temporary venues used for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It hosted the field hockey competitions during those games.... |
Field hockey Field hockey at the 2008 Summer Olympics Field hockey at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held over a fourteen day period beginning on August 10, and culminating with the medal finals on August 22 and August 23... |
17,000 | |
| Triathlon Venue Triathlon Venue The Triathlon Venue is one of nine temporary venues used for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It is located at the Ming Dynasty Tomb Reservoir. The venue was used for the triathlon events.-References:*... |
Triathlon Triathlon at the 2008 Summer Olympics The Triathlon competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics, in Beijing, were held on Monday, August 18 and Tuesday, August 19 , on the Triathlon Venue at the Ming Tomb Reservoir in Shisanling.... |
10,000 | |
| Urban Road Cycling Course Urban Road Cycling Course The Urban Cycling Road Course was one of nine temporary venues used during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China. The road cycling race started at the North Square of Yongdingmen in Beijing's Chongwen District and finished at Juyong Pass in Changping District... |
Cycling (road race) | n/a | |
| Wukesong Baseball Field | Baseball Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 13 to August 23. All games were played at Wukesong Baseball Field, a temporary venue constructed at the Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center... |
18,000 |
Competition venues outside Beijing
| Venue | Location | Sports | Capacity | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong Equestrian Venues | Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
Equestrian Equestrian at the 2008 Summer Olympics Equestrian competitions at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics were held from August 9 to August 21 at the Hong Kong Sports Institute and Sheung Yue River in Hong Kong. It was the second time the equestrian events were hosted by a member of the IOC other than the member hosting the main games... |
18,000 | |
| Qingdao International Sailing Center Qingdao International Sailing Centre The Qingdao International Sailing Centre is a sailing marina located on the former site of the Beihai Shipyard by Qingdao's Fushan Bay at Shandong Province in China. It was constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics. It hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing competitions. Wind conditions vary... |
Qingdao Qingdao ' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the... |
Sailing Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing was held from August 9 to 21. The competition took place in Qingdao, at Qingdao International Marina.... |
n/a | |
| Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium | Qinhuangdao Qinhuangdao Qinhuangdao is a port city in northeastern Hebei province of North China. It is about 300 km east of Beijing, on the Bohai Sea, the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea.... |
Football | 33,572 | |
| Shanghai Stadium Shanghai Stadium The Shanghai Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Shanghai, China. It is currently used mostly for football matches.The stadium was built in 1997 when the 8th National Games of the People's Republic of China was held in Shanghai. It can hold about 80,000 people, so it is also called the "80,000... |
Shanghai Shanghai Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010... |
Football | 80,000 | |
| Shenyang Olympic Sports Center Stadium | Shenyang Shenyang Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu... |
Football | 60,000 | |
| Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium | Tianjin Tianjin ' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government... |
Football | 60,000 |
External links
- Olympic Venue Distribution overlay on Google Maps - Unofficial overlay on satellite imagery. (Overlay on MSN Maps)