At the ongoing Paris Olympics, the main venue for athletics events, the Stade de France, has become a focal point for global attention. Looking back at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Bird's Nest, as the main venue for athletics, also stands as an iconic structure.
An undated photo shows an interior view of the Stade de France in Paris, France. /CFP
The Stade de France is the largest stadium in France and has hosted many major events over the past 30 years. It has been transformed into the Olympic Stadium for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
After the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the French national stadium hosted a wide range of events, including the 2003 World Athletics Championships, the 2007 and 2023 Rugby World Cups, and the 2016 European Football Championships. Every year, it hosts matches for the French national football and rugby teams, as well as some of the biggest concerts by French and international artists.
An undated photo shows the view of the Bird's Nest in Beijing, China. /CFP
The National Stadium, also known as the "Bird’s Nest," served as the main venue for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and Paralympics as well as the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics. It is the first venue in the world to host the opening and closing ceremonies of both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
The main structure, which features a unique oval "bird's nest" shape, is composed of interwoven steel trusses surrounding a bowl-shaped seating area. During its construction, the Bird's Nest incorporated advanced energy-saving designs and environmentally friendly measures. These features make it a truly large-scale "green building."