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Santiago Bernabeu: The Historic Home of Real Madrid

When talking about La Liga’s iconic and historic football stadiums, Santiago Bernabeu easily comes to mind, which happens to be the official home of one of the most successful clubs in history: Real Madrid. Located in Madrid, Spain, Santiago Bernabeu holds the second-largest stadium in Spain, with a seating capacity of over 85,000. Santiago Bernabeu is more than just a stadium, as this legendary sanctuary for Los Blancos fans has witnessed their dreams and aspirations come to life. In this article, we will take a closer look at the rich history of Santiago Bernabeu and how they continue to keep up with the changing times.

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The origins of Santiago Bernabeu

Let’s go back to 1943 when Santiago Bernabeu took the reins as president of Real Madrid. During his term, Bernabeu launched one of his major projects — the construction of a new stadium for Real Madrid. Also called Estadio de Chamartín, the stadium was inaugurated on December 14, 1947. In 1955, the club members unanimously voted that the stadium would be named after the president. Santiago Bernabeu continues to be a football temple for Los Blancos supporters.

Architecture and Design

Speaking of adapting to the changing times, Santiago Bernabeu boasts an architectural marvel fit for the 21st century. With a seating capacity of over 85,000, Santiago Bernabeu is the second-largest stadium in Spain. The prominent colors of the stadium are blue and white — the official colors of Real Madrid. The stadium’s new features, including the 360-degree screen and retractable roof, provide spectators with a much-needed comfortable viewing experience.

Witness winning moments

Built on a winning culture since its inception, Santiago Bernabeu has witnessed iconic football moments in the sport’s history. The stadium has hosted major football events such as the Euro League Cup final, the UEFA Champions League and even the historic El Clásico matches against FC Barcelona. Players from Real Madrid have also cemented their legacy in the legendary Santiago Bernabeu.

Sporting Temple

Santiago Bernabeu is considered a temple for Real Madrid fans — a safe space for football diehards. Now built into a modern and more accessible arena, the stadium offers an incredible panoramic view of the stadium. Football fans could also visit the Santiago Bernabeu and Real Madrid CF Museum Santiago, which houses numerous memorabilia from the club and countless trophies, including 14 Champions League titles.

New Santiago Bernabeu

Speaking of adapting to the changing times, Santiago Bernabeu underwent a massive facelift after four years of construction. Spanish studios L35 and Ribas & Ribas, and German studio GMP Architecten made the grand renovation possible. However, the renovation didn’t come cheap, as it cost Real Madrid up to $1 billion to make the new Santiago Bernabeu a state-of-the-art stadium. After numerous pushbacks, the New Santiago Bernabeu officially opened its doors to the public on December 2023.

The spending was worth the money, as they invested in modern engineering and design. Aside from the retractable roof and 360-degree screen, the stadium also features an impressive irrigation system and ultraviolet lighting to maintain the quality of the grass pitch. The stadium is also wrapped in stainless steel designed to project images through an LED lighting system. The New Santiago Bernabeu is not just the official home for Real Madrid fans but also a leisure space and attraction for local and international visitors.

Here are some of the cool features of the new Santiago Bernabeu:

• Retractable roof that creates insane atmosphere.
• Retractable pitch with an irrigation system and ultraviolet lighting to maintain the quality of the grass.
• A 360-degree video scoreboard.
• Curved stainless steel with an LED lighting systems.

Santiago Bernabeu is more than just a stadium, it’s a safe space and temple for the Real Madrid community. A visit to this stadium is an unforgettable experience, whether you are a football fan or not.