Helsinki Olympic Stadium reopens after 4-year renovation

The newly-renovated Helsinki Olympic Stadium opened on Wednesday with a National League Women's Finnish Football Championship match as its first event, reported Xinhua.

The capacity of the stadium has been reduced from 40,000 to 36,000, as the newly-introduced cup-shaped chairs take up more space than the older bench-style seats.

"The Olympic Stadium crystallizes a unique part of our past and embodies memorable moments in Finnish history. I find it inspiring that the heart of the Olympic summer of 1952 is now ready to go on as the venue of the unforgettable moments of both sports and culture," said Annika Saarikko, Minister of Science and Culture.

Costing 300 million euros, the renovations had lasted for four years - as long as the stadium's original construction period between 1934 and 1938. The stadium was built in anticipation of hosting the 1940 Olympic Games.

However, due to the outbreak of the Second World War, the Helsinki Olympic Games had to be postponed to 1952, which also marked the first time the People's Republic of China participated in the Olympics.