Camp de Les Corts
Encyclopedia
Camp de Les Corts (ˈkam də ɫəs ˈkorts), commonly referred to as Les Corts, was a sports stadium
in Barcelona
, Catalonia
, Spain
. It was the home ground for FC Barcelona
until the club moved to the Camp Nou
in 1957.
Les Corts was built as a result of a long-term plan by the club president, Joan Gamper
, to provide FC Barcelona
with its own stadium. It replaced the Camp del carrer Indústria as the home of FC Barcelona
. Inaugurated in 1922, the initial capacity was 20,000. The first game played at the ground was between FC Barcelona
and St. Mirren. On May 13 1923 the stadium hosted the Copa del Rey final between Athletic Bilbao
and CE Europa
and on December 21 1924, Les Corts hosted a game between Spain
and Austria
.
On June 24 1925 the stadium was the scene of an incident that saw it closed for six months. During a game, FC Barcelona
fans jeered the Spanish national anthem and then applauded God Save the King, performed by a visiting British Royal Marine
band. The dictatorship of Primo de Rivera
accused Joan Gamper
of promoting Catalan nationalism
. Les Corts was shut down and Gamper was expelled from Spain
.
The stadium was the home of FC Barcelona
during two of its most successful eras. During the 1920s with coach Jack Greenwell and players like Paulino Alcántara
, Sagibarba
, Ricardo Zamora
, Josep Samitier
, Félix Sesúmaga
and Franz Platko
, the club dominated the Campionat de Catalunya and emerged as one of the top clubs in Spain
. The club built on this success and also won the first ever La Liga
while based at Les Corts.
The club enjoyed another golden age during the 1940s and 1950s when players such as Ramallets
, Velasco
, César Rodrìguez
, Joan Segarra
, Ladislao Kubala
and Luis Suárez
saw the team win numerous trophies. By the late 1940s FC Barcelona
had outgrown Les Corts. The stadium had been extended on several occasions, reaching a final capacity of 60,000. However there was no room for further expansion and in 1950 the club began to make plans for a new stadium, the Camp Nou
.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. It was the home ground for FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
until the club moved to the Camp Nou
Camp Nou
Camp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957....
in 1957.
Les Corts was built as a result of a long-term plan by the club president, Joan Gamper
Joan Gamper
Joan Gamper previously known as Hans Kamper was a Swiss football pioneer, player and club president. He founded football clubs in Switzerland and Catalonia , most notably FC Basel, FC Zurich and FC Barcelona....
, to provide FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
with its own stadium. It replaced the Camp del carrer Indústria as the home of FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
. Inaugurated in 1922, the initial capacity was 20,000. The first game played at the ground was between FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and St. Mirren. On May 13 1923 the stadium hosted the Copa del Rey final between Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, is an association football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Spain. The club has played in the Primera División of La Liga since its start in 1928. They have won La Liga on eight occasions...
and CE Europa
CE Europa
Club Esportiu Europa is a Spanish/Catalan sports club, based in the Gràcia district of Barcelona. The club is best known for its football team who in 1928, along with city neighbours FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol, were founder members of La Liga. During the late 1990s they won the Copa Catalunya...
and on December 21 1924, Les Corts hosted a game between Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
and Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
.
On June 24 1925 the stadium was the scene of an incident that saw it closed for six months. During a game, FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
fans jeered the Spanish national anthem and then applauded God Save the King, performed by a visiting British Royal Marine
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
band. The dictatorship of Primo de Rivera
Primo de Rivera
Primo de Rivera is a Spanish family prominent in politics of the 19th and 20th centuries:*Fernando Primo de Rivera, Spanish politician and soldier, 1831-1921*Miguel Primo de Rivera , dictator of Spain from 23 September 1923 to 1930...
accused Joan Gamper
Joan Gamper
Joan Gamper previously known as Hans Kamper was a Swiss football pioneer, player and club president. He founded football clubs in Switzerland and Catalonia , most notably FC Basel, FC Zurich and FC Barcelona....
of promoting Catalan nationalism
Catalan nationalism
Catalan nationalism or Catalanism , is a political movement advocating for either further political autonomy or full independence of Catalonia....
. Les Corts was shut down and Gamper was expelled from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
The stadium was the home of FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
during two of its most successful eras. During the 1920s with coach Jack Greenwell and players like Paulino Alcántara
Paulino Alcántara
Paulino Alcántara Riestrá was a Filipino–Spanish footballer and manager. He spent most of his playing career at Barcelona and was the first Filipino and Asian player to play for a European club. He also played for Catalonia, the Philippines and Spain...
, Sagibarba
Emilio Sagi Liñan
Emilio Sagi Liñán , was a former footballer who played as a left-winger for FC Barcelona, the Catalan XI and Spain during the 1920s and 1930s. He was the son of, Emilio Sagi Barba, the Catalan baritone singer, and as a result, was widely referred to as Sagibarba...
, Ricardo Zamora
Ricardo Zamora
Ricard Zamora i Martínez was a Spanish footballer and manager. He played as a goalkeeper for, among others, RCD Espanyol, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. As an international he played for both the Catalan XI and Spain...
, Josep Samitier
Josep Samitier
Josep Samitier Vilalta , also known as José Samitier , was a Spanish footballer, manager and scout who played for FC Barcelona, Madrid CF, OGC Nice, the Catalan XI and Spain...
, Félix Sesúmaga
Félix Sesúmaga
Félix Sesúmaga Ugarte was a Spanish Basque footballer during the 1910s and the 1920s. Born in Lejona, Vizcaya, he played as a forward for Arenas Club de Getxo, FC Barcelona, Racing de Sama de Langreo, Athletic Bilbao and Spain...
and Franz Platko
Franz Platko
Ferenc Plattkó also known Franz Platko Kopiletz, Francisco Platko , also known as Ferenc Platko or Francisco Platko, was a Hungarian footballer and manager...
, the club dominated the Campionat de Catalunya and emerged as one of the top clubs in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The club built on this success and also won the first ever La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
while based at Les Corts.
The club enjoyed another golden age during the 1940s and 1950s when players such as Ramallets
Antoni Ramallets
Antoni Ramallets Simón is a retired Spanish football goalkeeper and manager.He spent most of his career at FC Barcelona, during the 1950s and early 1960s, winning the Zamora Trophy as the best goalkeeper in La Liga on five occasions, and 17 major club honours...
, Velasco
Juan Zambudio Velasco
Juan Zambudio Velasco, was a Spanish football goalkeeper. He played for Mollet and FC Barcelona. He retired playing in CE Sabadell FC....
, César Rodrìguez
César Rodríguez Álvarez
César Rodríguez Álvarez , sometimes known as just César, was a Spanish football forward and manager....
, Joan Segarra
Joan Segarra
Joan Segarra Iracheta was a Catalan footballer, captain of the "Barça of the Five Trophies", one of the best teams that FC Barcelona have had in their history...
, Ladislao Kubala
Ladislao Kubala
László Kubala Stecz , also referred to as Ladislav Kubala, Ladislao Kubala, was a footballer, who played as a forward with, among others, Ferencvárosi TC, ŠK Slovan Bratislava, Vasas SC, FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol. He also played for three different national teams, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and...
and Luis Suárez
Luis Suárez Miramontes
Luis Suárez Miramontes , also known by the diminutive Luisito, is a Spanish former footballer and manager. He played as a midfielder for Deportivo de La Coruña, CD España Industrial, CF Barcelona, Internazionale, Sampdoria and Spain. Suárez is regarded as one of Spain's greatest players; as a...
saw the team win numerous trophies. By the late 1940s FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
had outgrown Les Corts. The stadium had been extended on several occasions, reaching a final capacity of 60,000. However there was no room for further expansion and in 1950 the club began to make plans for a new stadium, the Camp Nou
Camp Nou
Camp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957....
.