1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics - Olympic Venues
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- Parent Category: Summer Olympic Games
- Category: 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics
- Last Updated: 08 May 2019
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Venues of the 1952 Summer Olympics
For the 1952 Summer Olympics, a total of twenty-four sports venues were used. Three of the venues were constructed for the 1940 Summer Olympics, but were postponed in the wake of World War II. Those venues were completed in time for the 1952 Games. The main stadium served as host to the World Athletics Championships in 1983 and in 2005. Two venues were purchased by the city of Helsinki after the Olympics, one changed from an exhibition center to a sports arena, and another changed from a sports arena to an art museum. With an annual average temperature of 5.9 °C, Helsinki is the coldest city to host the Summer Olympics. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Venues
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Before the OlympicsThe idea for the construction of the Olympic Stadium began in 1927 though construction itself would take place between 1934 and 1938. This was done in preparation for the 1940 Summer Olympics that were moved from Tokyo after the breakout of World War II. Construction for the Swimming Stadium began in 1939, but was interrupted due to World War II. The building was resumed in 1947 and completed the following year. A concrete velodrome was built in 1940 though it was not completed until 1946 due to the war. Messuhalli was completed in 1935. The Tennis Palace was constructed in time for the 1940 Games as well. During the OlympicsThe modern pentathlon events were held in one venue for the first time at the Summer Olympics since 1920. After the OlympicsIn 1983, the Olympic Stadium hosted the first IAAF World Championships in Athletics. Between 1990 and 1994, the stadium underwent a renovation. The stadium became the first venue to host the IAAF World Championships in Athletics twice when it hosted again in 2005. The aquatics venue is open to the public annually between May and September. Töölö Sports Hall was purchased by the city of Helsinki in 1975 and converted from exhibition center into a sports arena. The Tennis Palace was renovated, purchased by the city of Helsinki in 1957, and converted into an art museum in 1993. Finnair Stadium, which was named Sonera Stadium since August 2010, was constructed on the Helsinki Football Grounds for HJK in 2000. |
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Arto Tolsa Areena |
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Arto Tolsa Areena is a football stadium in Kotka, Finland. It is the home stadium of Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat (KTP). The stadium holds 4,780 and was inaugurated in 1952 for the Helsinki Olympics. The stadium's record attendance was made during the Olympic Games in the football match between the Soviet Union and Bulgaria, the score having been 2–1 a.e.t.. Depending on the source, the record is 10,000, or 10,637 or 10,950. Arto Tolsa Areena used to be known as "Urheilukeskus" ("Sports Center" in Finnish). It got its current name after it was renovated around the turn of millennium. The current name comes from Arto Tolsa, who was a legendary Finnish player of Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat, the predecessor of KTP. |
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The covered main stand holds 2,500 spectators. The size of the pitch is 105 by 65 metres. The power of the lighting system is 1200 lux. At the beginning of the 2015 season, the pitch was converted to an artificial playing surface. |
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Harmaja |
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Harmaja (Swedish: Gråhara) is an island and a lighthouse outside Helsinki, south of the Suomenlinna sea fortress. The island has been functioning as a landmark since the 16th century. A landmark structure was built on the island in the 18th century and a light house in 1883. The first lighthouse was only 7.3 m high and it soon proved to be too low. In 1900 the height was doubled by creating a rectangular brick building on a granite base. A large foghorn alerted ships in fog and in bad visibility. Harmaja received the world's first directed and undirected radio beacon in 1936. The lighthouse is fully automated today. During the 1952 Summer Olympics this was the center of the Olympic sailing event. |
View photos from the IOC Museum's Olympic archives
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Töölön Pallokenttä (Helsinki Football Grounds) |
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Töölön Pallokenttä (Finnish: Töölön pallokenttä, Swedish: Tölö bollplan), also known by its nickname Bollis, is a football stadium in Helsinki, Finland. The stadium is located in the Töölö district and today it holds 4,000 spectators. Töölön Pallokenttä was originally built in 1915 and it was the first football stadium in Finland.
The stadium was last renovated in 2000–2001. It hosts matches for Atlantis FC which plays in Kakkonen and HJK Helsinki women's team in the Finnish Naisten Liiga. In 1952 Summer Olympics the stadium hosted five football matches; Yugoslavia vs India, Hungary vs Italy, Sweden vs Austria, Germany vs Brazil and Yugoslavia vs Denmark. |
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Huopalahti |
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Huopalahti (Swedish: Hoplax) was a municipality during the years 1920–1945 in Uusimaa, Finland. The municipality was bilingual. Current areas of Munkkiniemi, Lauttasaari and parts of northern Pasila were parts of Huopalahti. The area was separated from former Helsinki parish in 1920. Haaga was part of the municipality, but was separated from it in 1923. The Finnish National Defence University, that was moved to Munkkiniemi in 1923, was located in Huopalahti. In 1946, the municipality was consolidated to Helsinki. The Finnish Hunting Society which is headquartered in the city hosted the shotgun shooting events for the 1952 Summer Olympics. |
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Käpylä |
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Käpylä (Swedish: Kottby) is a neighbourhood of Helsinki with 7,600 inhabitants. Administratively speaking, Käpylä is a part of the Vanhakaupunki district. It is located between Kumpula, Oulunkylä and Koskela. Käpylä has a terminus for route-1 of the Helsinki tram network. Additionally, the Olympic Village built for the 1952 Summer Olympics and another village for the cancelled 1940 Summer Olympics are located in Käpylä. |
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Laakso |
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Laakso (Swedish: Dal) is a neighbourhood in Helsinki, Finland. Its borders are defined by the streets of Mannerheimintie and Nordenskiöldinkatu and the Helsinki Central Park. The neighbourhood is bordered by Töölö in the south, Meilahti in the southwest, Ruskeasuo in the north and Länsi-Pasila in the east. The neighbourhood has an area of 0.74 km², a population of 1781 and 1583 jobs (December 31, 2003). Laakso is neighbourhood #18 in the official neighbourhood numbering of Helsinki, and belongs to the district of Reijola. For the 1952 Summer Olympics, the neighborhood hosted the Eventing equestrian riding competitions. |
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Lahden kisapuisto |
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The Lahden kisapuisto is a multi-use stadium in Lahti, Finland. It is used mostly for football and hosts the home matches of FC Lahti. The stadium holds 4,000 people and is all-seater. It also hosted some football matches during the 1952 Summer Olympics. Lahden kisapuisto football stadium built for the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games, for, during which it hosted the first two series of the football match and one post-match. These were Poland - France on July 15, Luxembourg - United Kingdom on 16 July, as well as post-match Turkey - Curaçao on July 21. |
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Liuskasaari |
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Liuskasaari (Swedish: Skifferholmen) is an island located south of Helsinki, Finland. This island is home of the Helsingfors Segelsällskap, one of the oldest sailing clubs in Finland. The island hosts two restaurants: The HSS Clubhouse Restaurant and the Skiffer outdoor restaurant. This island has about 50 000 visitors annually and can be reached by a ferry that traffics the island from the Merisatama park. The island hosted some of the sailing events for the 1952 Summer Olympics. |
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Meilahti |
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Meilahti (in Swedish Mejlans) is a neighbourhood of Helsinki between Mannerheimintie (the main entrance road to Helsinki) and a bay named Seurasaarenselkä. Most of the houses in Meilahti were built in the 1930s and 1940s. Meilahti is home to over 6700 people. Meilahti is the location of Mäntyniemi, official residence of the President of Finland, as well as Kesäranta, the official residence of Prime Minister of Finland. Near Mäntyniemi is the former presidential residence, Tamminiemi, which is today a museum dedicated to president Urho Kekkonen. For the 1952 Summer Olympics, the neighborhood hosted the rowing events. |
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Töölö Sports Hall (Messuhalli) |
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Töölö Sports Hall (Finnish: Töölön kisahalli, Swedish: Tölö sporthall) is a sports venue located in the Töölö district of Helsinki, Finland. It was designed by Aarne Hytönen and Risto-Veikko Luukkonen and built in 1935 as Messuhalli (Exhibition Hall). It is located near the Olympic Stadium, the Opera House, and the Sonera Stadium. The hall was originally a venue for concerts, banquets and sporting events, but is now used only for training and competition in various sports. In preparation for the 1952 Summer Olympics the building was expanded on the northern side. During the Olympics gymnastics, wrestling, boxing and weightlifting events as well as the basketball finals were held at the venue. |
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Helsinki Olympic Stadium |
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The Helsinki Olympic Stadium (Finnish: Helsingin Olympiastadion; Swedish: Helsingfors Olympiastadion), located in the Töölö district about 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) from the centre of the Finnish capital Helsinki, is the largest stadium in the country, nowadays mainly used for hosting sports events and big concerts. The stadium is best known for being the centre of activities in the 1952 Summer Olympics. During those games, it hosted athletics, equestrian show jumping, and the football finals. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Olympic Stadium was designed in functionalistic style by the architects Yrjö Lindegren and Toivo Jäntti. Construction of the Olympic Stadium began in 1934 and it was completed in 1938, with the intent to host the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were moved from Tokyo to Helsinki before being cancelled due to World War II. It hosted the 1952 Summer Olympics over a decade later instead. The stadium was also to be the main venue for the cancelled 1943 Workers' Summer Olympiad. The 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Olympic Games hosted in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium was the main motif for one of the first Finnish euro silver commemorative coins, the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Olympic Games commemorative coin, minted in 2002. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Helsinki Swimming Stadium |
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Helsinki Swimming Stadium is an outdoors swimming venue in Helsinki, Finland, located in the Eläintarha area to the northeast of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. The Swimming Stadium was designed by architect Jorma Järvi in the Functionalist style prevalent during the 1930s. The stadium was built for the 1940 Olympic Games which were cancelled due to the Second World War, but later hosted the 1952 Summer Olympics. Because of the war, the construction of the Swimming Stadium took a long time, and it was finally completed in 1947. In wartime, the finished pools were used to store herring and root vegetables. |
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According to the International Swimming Federation, the water temperature in the pool needs to be at least 22 °C, nowadays 27 °C. The machinery to heat the outdoor pool was ordered from abroad, and the ship transporting them was sunk immediately after the war broke out. The stadium has been listed as a significant example of modern architecture in Finland by Docomomo. |
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Töölö Rowing Stadium |
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The Töölö Rowing Stadium is a rowing and canoeing venue located a kilometer from Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland. Originally constructed for the 1940 Summer Olympics that were cancelled in the wake of what became known as World War II, the venue was not approved by the International Rowing Federation (FISA) due to being exposed to sea breezes. As a result the rowing events were moved to Meilahti while the canoeing events took place as planned. |
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Tennispalatsi |
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Tennispalatsi (Swedish: Tennispalatset; lit. Tennis Palace), is an enclosed cultural and recreational center in Kamppi, Helsinki, Finland. It houses a Finnkino multiplex movie theatre, the Helsinki City Art Museum, the Museum of Cultures, and small shops. Tennispalatsi was built in 1938 in preparation for the 1940 Summer Olympics. The functionalist building, which had four tennis courts, was designed by Helge Lundström. In the 1952 Summer Olympics the basketball preliminary games were held in Tennispalatsi. |
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Veritas Stadion |
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Veritas Stadion is a football (soccer) stadium in Turku, Finland. It is situated in the district of Kupittaa, in an area dedicated to sporting venues. The stadium serves as the home venue for FC Inter Turku and Turun Palloseura playing in Finland's premier football league, the Veikkausliiga. The stadium underwent an expansion in 2009, when a stand with 1,644 seats was built to meet the demands for the 2009 UEFA Women's Championship. The stadium has a capacity of 9,372 spectators, with 8,072 seats and 1,300 standing places. In Veritas Stadion there are two stands opposite to each other. The old Olympic stand (Olympiakatsomo) was built for the 1952 Summer Olympics and the new, modern main stand was ready in 2003 |
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Helsinki Velodrome |
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Helsinki Velodrome (Finnish: Helsingin Velodromi) is an outdoor velodrome and american football stadium in Helsinki, Finland. The protected functionalist concrete building was designed by Hilding Ekelund. It was built in 1938–1940 for the 1940 Summer Olympics which were cancelled due to World War II. After the war, it was a venue of the 1952 Summer Olympics for the track cycling and field hockey events. The Velodrome hosted the four-track cycling events and the whole field hockey event for the Olympics. The original building was deemed inadequate during the games and additional space was quickly erected to accommodate the athletes and press. Some temporary seating was also constructed for additional capacity. |
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