As the main stadium for the XXIX Olympiad, the National Stadium is located in the Olympic Green northeast of the city axis line, covering an area of 204,100 square meters and forming a construction area of 258,000 square meters. During the 2008 Olympics, the National Stadium is designated to host the opening and closing ceremony, the track and field competition and soccer games, etc. The National Stadium accommodates a maximum of 100,000 spectators of which 20,000 are temporary seats. After the 2008 Olympics, the National Stadium will be converted to an 80,000-seating stadium suitable to host various types of large-scale sports competition and other non-competitive events. The National Stadium will also be a large-scale venue of sports, recreation and entertainment for the people of Beijing. The National Stadium will be an iconic landmark among the sports venues in China.

    The design of the National Stadium is one of an international architectural scheme competition, which is jointly designed by Herzog and de Meuron Architekten AG, Switzerland, and China Design and Architecture Institute. The National Stadium, with a bowl shaped stadium stand colored red, looks perfect with its nest-like structure waved by branches, of which gray mining steel nest covered by transparent membrane material. The "Birds' Nest" scheme shows fresh, unique, large-scale abnormity steel construction architecture in the world.

    Beijing Stated-owned Assets Management Corp. Ltd and the CITIC consortium jointly establish the National Stadium Co Ltd. The National Stadium Co Ltd will be responsible for the investment, design, construction, operation and management aspects of the venue. The ground breaking of the National Stadium was held on December 24, 2003 and construction work will be completed in 2006.

    (Provided by: Beijing Stated-owned Assets Management Corp. Ltd)