BISLETT STADION

Oslo, Norway

WSPE-491

Bislett Stadion is a sports stadium in Oslo, Norway. Bislett is Norway's most well known sports arena internationally, with 15 speed skating world records and more than 50 track and field world records having been set here. The stadium was demolished in 2004 and construction of a new stadium was completed by the summer of 2005.

In 1999, the American sports magazine Sports Illustrated declared that the old Bislett Stadium was one of the top 20 sports venues of the 20th century.

Bislett Stadium lies on the site of a 19th century brick works, which was bought by the Municipality of Kristiania (Oslo) in 1898, and turned into a sports field in 1908. The merchant, speed skater, gymnast and sports organizer Martinus Lørdahl was instrumental in facilitating the construction of the first bleachers, begun in 1917 and completed in 1922 along with the new club house. One of the squares outside the stadium is named Martinus Lørdahl's Square, in his honour. Bislett became Norway's main arena for speed skating and track and field in 1940 when the architect Frode Rinnan's new functionalistic stadium was completed, with a capacity of 20,000. Rinnan was also responsible for the renovation of the stadium for the 1952 Winter Olympic Games in Oslo. At those games, the stadium hosted some of the figure skating and the speed skating events. Bislett has hosted the Bislett Games since 1965, an annual track and field event in the IAAF Golden League (from 2010: the IAAF Diamond League).

Unused 4" x 6" continental size chrome.

World Stadiums Postcard Edition