Key facts
| Address | Paavo Nurmen tie 1, 00250 Helsinki |
| Capacity | 42,062 seats (36,000 after 2019 renovation) |
| Build Date | 1938 |
Description
Helsinki Olympic Stadium is a large multi-purpose stadium which is located around 20 kilometers from Helsinki, Finland. It is Finland’s biggest stadium, which is used for different sports and non-sports events. In 1952, it was chosen for the Olympics Games. In five years, it hosted the first competition between bandy teams. Over the next several years, the ground was used for a range of athletics championships. This is the permanent home of the national football team o the country, which is used for games and training.
The venue was built for 4 years from 1934 to 1938. It was specially constructed for the Olympics Games that were supposed to take place in 1940, which never happened due to WWII. However, the Summer Olympics were held on the ground anyway over than 10 years later. The stadium was renovated from 1990 to 1994, and some improvements were made just before athletics games that took place in 2005.
In 2007, an owl was found to be living in the stadium. It even delayed the beginning of the game for 10 minutes. It was named Bubi, and soon it became Resident of Helsinki of the Year.
Renovation works began at the stadium in 2016, which required it to be closed. They are expected to last for three years, and the reopening of the stadium is planned in 2019.
