Camp Nou and the Majesty of Barcelona
Camp Nou was first constructed on 28 March, 1954, and was originally called Estadi del FC Barcelona. However, the popular name Camp Nou which was used by the public was officially recognised as the name of the stadium in the year 2000. The stadium was officially opened on September 24, 1957, when a performance of Handel's Messiah was performed at the venue. The architects who designed Camp Nou were Phillip Francesc Mitjans, Josep Sotera, Lorenzo García-Barbón Joaquin, and Philipe Pedro Agnew. There have been a number of developments to the stadium since its initial construction, with a major development taking place in 1980 prior to the 1982 FIFA World Cup. It was one of many stadiums that was used for the 1982 World Cup, and the host of the opening ceremony on June 13 before a sell-out crowd.
Camp Nou has hosted a number of great football games during its history, including the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich and many gruelling La Liga matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid. As well as being the home to FC Barcelona, Camp Nou is also home to the Catalonia National Football Team, although this team is not affiliated by either FIFA or UEFA. Along with Camp Nou, some of the other magnificent attractions of Barcelona include Sagrada Familia, the Church of Santa Maria del Camp, the Columbus Monument, and the many architectural delights of Antoni Gaudi.
