Estadio Nacional, Multi-use stadium in Colonia Roma, Mexico City.
Estadio Nacional is a multi-use sports venue in Colonia Roma with a U-shaped design featuring lateral stands and an athletics track encircling the central field. The structure originally held about 60,000 spectators before being downsized to 30,000 seats to accommodate football matches, track events, and public gatherings.
The stadium was constructed in 1923 under architect José Villagrán García and hosted the inaugural Central American and Caribbean Games in 1926. It became a significant venue for Mexico's emerging sports culture during the early twentieth century.
Diego Rivera's murals on the facade displayed human figures symbolizing determination and vision, bringing artistic expression into the sports venue.
The venue's U-shaped layout required visitors to understand different zones depending on the type of event being held. Arriving early helped guests orient themselves and find the appropriate areas for viewing or attending activities.
The site was built on a former municipal cemetery and after its closure in 1949 became the present-day Ramón López Velarde garden. This transformation reveals how the urban space evolved from a place of rest into an area dedicated to leisure and public activity.
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