Olympic Green
Encyclopedia
Olympic Park
An Olympic Park is a sports campus for hosting the Olympic Games. Typically it contains the Olympic Stadium and the International Broadcast Centre. It may also contain the Olympic Village or some of the other sports venues, such as the aquatics complex in the case of the summer games, or the main...
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
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics
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...
. Since then, the streets around the park have been used for an exhibition street race
Street circuit
A street circuit is a racing circuit composed by temporarily closed-off public roads of a city, town or village, used in motor races. Facilities such as the paddock, pit boxes, fences and grandstands are usually placed temporarily and removed soon after the race is over but in modern times the...
of the FIA GT1 World Championship
FIA GT1 World Championship
The FIA GT1 World Championship is a world championship sports car racing series developed by the SRO Group and regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . It features multiple grand tourer race cars based on production road cars and conforming with the GT1 regulations competing in...
in 2011, after a race at Goldenport Park Circuit
Goldenport Park Circuit
Goldenport Park Circuit is a permanent circuit in Jinzhanxiang, Chaoyang District, Beijing, People's Republic of China designed by Australian Michael McDonough...
in the vicinity.
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:...
(国家体育场) or "Bird's Nest" (鸟巢) is the centerpiece of this project. It hosted the opening
2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 8, 2008, as 8 is considered to be a lucky number. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture...
and closing
2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony
The 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It was directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou and began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 24, 2008...
ceremonies, 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...
, and 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...
finals of the Games. The stadium has room for 91,000 spectators, but the capacity was reduced to 80,000 after the Olympics.
Beijing National Aquatics Center
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 :...
events. It has a capacity of 17,000 (reduced to 6,000 after the Olympics) and is located next to the 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 Indoor Stadium
The Beijing National Indoor StadiumBeijing 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...
(国家体育馆) or "the Fan" held the handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
and trampolining
Trampolining
Trampolining is a competitive Olympic sport in which gymnasts perform acrobatics while bouncing on a trampoline. These can include simple jumps in the pike, tuck or straddle position to more complex combinations of forward or backward somersaults and twists....
events. With a capacity of 19,000, it was the main indoor arena used during the Games.
Olympic Green Convention Center
The Olympic Green Convention Center, also called the National Convention Center (国家会议中心), held fencingFencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
and, the shooting and fencing disciplines of the modern pentathlon
Modern pentathlon
The modern pentathlon is a sports contest that includes five events: pistol shooting, épée fencing, 200 m freestyle swimming, show jumping, and a 3 km cross-country run...
. It is also used as the International Broadcast Center and the Main Press Center (for conventions and exhibitions). The centre covers an area of 270,000 square metres.
Olympic Green Hockey Field
The Olympic Green Hockey FieldOlympic 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....
hosted the field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
events. It covers an area of 11.87 hectares with 2 courts and can seat 17,000 spectators. It will be deconstructed after the Games.
Olympic Green Archery Field
The Olympic Green Archery FieldOlympic 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:*...
hosted the archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
events. The field occupies 9.22 hectares and has a capacity of 5,000. It will be converted to green belt
Green belt
A green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
after the Games.
Olympic Green Tennis Center
The Olympic Green Tennis Center (北京奥林匹克公园网球场) hosted the tennisTennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and wheelchair tennis
Wheelchair Tennis
Wheelchair tennis is one of the forms of tennis adapted for those who have disabilities in their lower bodies. The size of courts, balls, and rackets are same, but there are two major differences from pedestrian tennis; they use specially designed wheelchairs and the ball may bounce up to two times...
events. It has 16 courts (10 competition, 6 practice) and a capacity of 17,400. It opened on October 1, 2007 .
Promenade
The park itself, outside of the venues constructed on the Olympic Green, hosted some of the athletic eventsAthletics 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...
at the 2008 Games. These included the racewalk events, where the loops occurred on the Olympic Green, and the portion of the marathons just outside the National Stadium.
Olympic Village
The Beijing Olympic VillageBeijing Olympic Village
The Beijing Olympic Village is a new complex of high-rise apartments in Beijing, People's Republic of China, which was opened to the public on July 26, 2008 in conjunction with the 2008 Summer Olympics, which took place in Beijing from August 8 to August 24, 2008. It hosted the attendees, which...
housed all the participating athletes. The village is made up of 22 6-story buildings and 20 9-story buildings.
Ling Long Pagoda
The Ling Long Pagoda or Linglong Tower (Multifunctional Studio Tower) (玲珑塔) houses a part of the International Broadcast Center (IBC). It is located near the Olympic Cauldron, on the northwest side of the Bird's Nest Stadium. "Ling Long" (玲珑) means delicate, and is referred to as the Delicate Tower in Chinese. The permanent structure is a three-sided tower. The tower contains 6 occupiable pods with open space in between. One of the pods displays the Olympic rings. It is 128m tall, with 7 occupiable floors, each an equilateral triangle. The floors are subdivided into two levels. The glass-walled pods are held up by three supporting ribs at the three corners. The tower is operated by Beijing Olympic BroadcastingBeijing Olympic Broadcasting
Beijing Olympic Broadcasting Co., Ltd was a Chinese broadcasting company which produced the main international feeds for the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2008 Summer Paralympics...
. Some international broadcast studios are located in the pods of the tower, offering skyline views as backdrops of Olympic broadcasts. CCTV
China Central Television
China Central Television or Chinese Central Television, commonly abbreviated as CCTV, is the major state television broadcaster in mainland China. CCTV has a network of 19 channels broadcasting different programmes and is accessible to more than one billion viewers...
, BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
for both French and English networks, France Télévisions
France Télévisions
France Télévisions is the French public national television broadcaster. It is a state-owned company formed from the bringing together of the public television channels France 2 and France 3 , later joined by the legally independent channels France 5 , France Ô , and France 4 France Télévisions ...
- France 2
France 2
France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
& France 3
France 3
France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....
, Televisa
Televisa
Televisa is a Mexican multimedia conglomerate, the largest mass media company in Latin America and in the Spanish-speaking world. It is a major international entertainment business, with much of its programming airing in the United States on Univision, with which it has an exclusive contract...
, and TV Azteca
TV Azteca
Azteca, is the second largest Mexican television entertainment. It was established in 1983 as the state-owned Instituto Mexicano de la Televisión , a holding of the national TV networks channel 13 and 7 and was privatized under its current name in 1993 and now is part of Grupo Salinas...
share use of the tower's studio facilities. CBC occupies the fourth pod from the bottom. BBC occupies the second pod from the bottom. France Television is also on the third floor, with the BBC. NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Today Show tapes from the ground floor.