London Olympic Stadium

　　The London Olympic Stadium is set to be the main venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics, situated on the southern edge of the Stratford Olympic Park. Planning for the stadium began in the summer of 2007, and construction officially started on May 22, 2008, with completion achieved on March 29, 2011. During the Olympic Games, it will accommodate approximately 80,000 seats.

　　According to the London Organising Committee, the London Olympic Stadium is “a unique 80,000-seat arena that will be at the heart of the 2012 Olympic Games, hosting the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and the track and field events. After the Paralympics, it will be transformed into a permanent 25,000-seat stadium that will become the new home for athletics, as well as a venue for other sports, community, and educational activities.” The soil excavated during the construction of the stadium’s track was used to create a banked 25,000-seat stand around the perimeter. A temporary lightweight steel structure, forming an additional 55,000-seat upper tier, will surround the main stadium. The cable-supported roof covering the upper tier will account for about two-thirds of the total seating, and this section will be dismantled and repurposed after the 2012 Olympics.

　　Olympic Stadium (London) Reason to visit: The most important main venue of the 2012 Summer Olympics Continent: Europe【Europe】 Country/Region: Britain[Britain] Province/State: Greater London [Greater London] City: London [London]