The National Stadium - The Construction that Turned a Dream into Reality
Story about the construction of the National Stadium, from the first stage until its completion, highlighting the overcoming of challenges and the realization of a historic dream.
The construction of the National Stadium
Work began on May 8, 1939.
Transport of aggregatesNational Sports Museum - IPDJ
The earthworks of the land.
The construction used the traditional methods of the time: manual excavation with a large workforce (bricklayers, stonemasons and servants, and prisoners from the Caxias prison)...
…using embryonic earthmoving equipment, rubble removal trucks.
Stone application phaseNational Sports Museum - IPDJ
It was opted for national materials, masonry for the foundations, stonework for the stands.
The steps of the stands, made of stonework blankets...
Stone application phaseNational Sports Museum - IPDJ
... are placed on a reinforced concrete structure.
Construction phase (1939)National Sports Museum - IPDJ
Soon could be seen the evolution and change in the landscape of Jamor.
Construction phase (1939)National Sports Museum - IPDJ
The works were carried out in record time.
Aspect of Vale do Jamor, the Esteiro slope and lighthouse. (1940)National Sports Museum - IPDJ
In 1940, the landscape looked like this.
Construction phase (1940)National Sports Museum - IPDJ
In October 1941, according to news in O Século Ilustrado of 4-10-1941, the stadium was already entirely built...
The National Stadium (1944) by Horácio NovaisNational Sports Museum - IPDJ
... including the grandstand, although still without the bar/WC buildings at the top, the Marathon Square and the building players' locker room.
General plan of the railway branch from Cruz Quebrada station to the StadiumNational Sports Museum - IPDJ
Access routes
As a high number of spectators were expected at the inauguration, and on days of major events and football matches, several access routes were therefore protected.
A railway branch on the Lisbon-Cascais line with a train station served the National Stadium.
Several parking lots, accessible from the highway and the connecting road with Avenida Marginal,
View of Park No. 2 Caxias by Horácio NovaisNational Sports Museum - IPDJ
could accommodate around 3,500 light vehicles.
Tram line and shelter for passengers. Stadium no. 80, 14-6-1944 (1944)National Sports Museum - IPDJ
Tram line No. 15 Algés-Cruz Quebrada extended within the grounds of the National Stadium.
Design of circulations next to the tram lineNational Sports Museum - IPDJ
The infrastructure, which included a shelter for passengers, became known as the “tram racket” due to its peculiar shape.
Inauguration of the National Stadium (1944)National Sports Museum - IPDJ
The Inauguration
On June 10, 1944, the National Stadium was inaugurated with a party that was certainly the biggest event ever held in Portugal, with attendance exceeding its capacity of 50 thousand spectators and 12 thousand participants.
Short film of the inauguration of the National Stadium, by António Lopes Ribeiro (1944) - in Portuguese
After the football and athletics stadium was completed, the building attached to the stadium was also built, on the site of the old Fazenda de S. José…
View over the training center with the stadium in the background (1944) by Horácio NovaisNational Sports Museum - IPDJ
… and the Training Center, with two courts and bleachers, in the valley.
The Tennis Center
It debuted in 1945, one year after the grand opening party. The Portuguese Tennis Federation organized an international tournament with the participation of big names in international tennis at the time: Petra and Pellizza, Romanoni, Massip and Szawost.
National Stadium railway stationNational Sports Museum - IPDJ
The railway station
The following year, in 1946, the National Stadium railway station was built. With this, the first phase of the National Stadium project was closed, with several buildings remaining to be built, among others the swimming pools and the hippodrome, and the Santa Catarina viewpoint.
The forestation
What will characterize the National Stadium, today the Centro Desportivo Nacional do Jamor, is the planting of the slopes of the valley (Esteiro and Santa Catarina) and the banks of the Jamor river.
Panoramic view of the National Stadium (1944) by Horácio NovaisNational Sports Museum - IPDJ
The initial space, devoid of trees...
National Stadium. Illustrated postcard Lisbon Tourist (1960)National Sports Museum - IPDJ
… slowly transformed, through the half million trees and shrubs planted in the first ten years, into a pleasant green space.
In June 2024, 80 years have passed since the inauguration of the Estádio Nacional do Jamor.
Tap to explore
Enjoy a 360º panoramic view of the center of the National Stadium.
Keep exploring
The visit to the 2nd part of the exhibition has ended. Visit the Part 1:
The National Stadium: from the Project
Also discover:
Jamor Pools
The memory of the National Stadium railway station
Exhibition “The National Stadium: Part II - of the project”
Version 2024
Curation, Coordination and Content: National Sports Museum
Image sources:
National Sports Museum Collection/IPDJ
Jamor National Sports Center Archive
Calouste Gulbenkian Art Library
