On Sunday, September 21, Palau Sant Jordi celebrates 35 years since its inauguration. The venue, conceived for the Barcelona '92 Olympic Games and designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, was handed over to the city on September 21, 1990, during an institutional event that highlighted its advanced technology, the materials used, and its versatility. It was a space created and prepared from the outset to host all kinds of sporting activities, but also major events such as concerts, opera, trade fairs, and conferences.
Following that institutional presentation, three days of open doors were held under the slogan “Come see the greatest show on Earth”, allowing the people of Barcelona to discover what would become one of the main Olympic venues and, without a doubt, one of the city’s most iconic architectural works. A total of 270,000 people attended.
In Isozaki’s words, Palau Sant Jordi, along with its annexed hall – now the Sant Jordi Club – was meant to have “a universal character,” and so it has. Today, 35 years later, Palau Sant Jordi and the entire Anella Olímpica remain a benchmark space for sporting events and, above all, a key venue for the live music sector, with a permanent schedule of concerts by national and international artists of all genres – all under public leadership.
BSM, as a public company of the Ajuntament de Barcelona (city council) , took over the management of the Anella Olímpica in 2003 by order of the city council. Since then, it has successfully consolidated the site as an internationally recognized space in the cultural, sports, and entertainment fields. Its experience and professionalism have been key to preserving the Olympic legacy and putting it at the service of the public and Barcelona’s global positioning.
More than 2,500 events and 26.8 million attendees
Since its inauguration, Palau Sant Jordi and the Sant Jordi Club have hosted more than 2,500 events, attracting 26.8 million attendees. Nearly half of these events (45%) have been concerts, followed by trade fairs and corporate events (35%), major sporting events (13%), and other events such as family shows or film shoots (7%).
Live music is, by far, the type of event that has grown the most over the years. In the last decade, 7 out of 10 events held at Palau Sant Jordi and the Sant Jordi Club have been concerts. This is due, on one hand, to the changing trends in the music industry – with the rise of streaming increasing the demand for tours and live performances over recorded music – and on the other hand, to the capacity and versatility of these arenas, with seating for 18,400 and 4,600 people respectively, as well as the strong relationships the Olympic Ring has maintained for years with more than 40 local and international promoters who make all these events possible.
A stage open to all audiences and musical styles
The first artist to perform on the Palau Sant Jordi stage was Luciano Pavarotti. The Italian tenor performed just a few days after the inaugural event, on September 29, 1990. One of the distinctive features of this arena is the rich variety of musical styles it has hosted since the beginning, welcoming all audiences. Opera, pop, rock, metal, classical, punk... all genres have found a place here, including electronic music, Latin sounds, and new trends like K-pop.
Palau Sant Jordi has also played an important role in the careers of national artists. For names like Rosalía, Rigoberta Bandini, Joan Dausà, Nil Moliner, Oques Grasses, Manuel Carrasco, Lola Índigo, or Aitana, it was the first or one of the first major venues where they performed. Some artists even consider it one of their most frequently visited stages in Spain: Joaquín Sabina (18 concerts), Alejandro Sanz (16), Estopa (13), Fito & Fitipaldis (12), David Bisbal (11), and Pablo Alborán (10).
On the international scene, the artists who have performed most frequently at Palau Sant Jordi include Eros Ramazzotti (11 concerts), Madonna (7), Bryan Adams (7), U2 (7), and Laura Pausini (5).
There have been many memorable moments on the stages of Palau Sant Jordi and the Sant Jordi Club, but one that undoubtedly made history in Barcelona’s music scene was the Love of Lesbian concert on March 27, 2021. It was the first large-scale concert during the pandemic, arriving after a year without live music.
A Venue for a Wide Variety of International Sporting Events
Sporting events have also played a key role in the history of Palau Sant Jordi. Before becoming the venue for gymnastics and volleyball competitions during the Barcelona '92 Olympic Games, it had already hosted the international basketball tournament Open McDonald’s in 1990.
Following those international events came others of great significance, such as the IAAF World Indoor Championships (1995), the FIFA Futsal World Cup (1996), the FINA World Swimming Championships (2003–2013), the Snowboard World Championships (2011), the Handball World Championship (2013), the Basketball World Cup (2014), and the World Roller Games Barcelona 2019.
As with music, the variety of sports disciplines practiced over the years at Palau Sant Jordi stands out. The venue has hosted futsal, American football, tennis, indoor athletics, climbing, and judo, as well as handball, taekwondo, kickboxing, trial, enduro, and karting, among others.
Also notable were the years when FC Barcelona’s basketball team played their home games at Palau Sant Jordi (1991–1994), as well as events like Dirt Track (1991, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017) and Ski Indoor (1992, 1993, and 1995).
A Stage for Family-Friendly Events Deeply Rooted in the City
Family-oriented events have also been part of Palau Sant Jordi’s history since the beginning. Disney On Ice, for example, first arrived at the venue in 1993 and has since held 29 editions there. It is, by far, the most frequently repeated event in the venue’s history.
Another company that has chosen this stage on numerous occasions is Cirque du Soleil, with 8 stops at Palau Sant Jordi.
In this area, the Esport i Dansa Ara event also plays an important role. This annual gathering marks the end of what is now the most widely participated educational sports program among Barcelona’s schools. On that day, thousands of children fill the Palau Sant Jordi floor to perform the dances they’ve rehearsed for months in front of their families and teachers.
Around Fifty Artists to Perform at the Olympic Ring Before Year-End
The upcoming schedule at Palau Sant Jordi and Sant Jordi Club confirms the strong position of these venues in the national and international live music circuit. By December, around fifty artists will perform here, and for some, it will be their only stop in Spain.
From the national scene, artists scheduled to perform at Palau Sant Jordi before the end of the year include Joaquín Sabina (October 2 and 4), Manuel Carrasco (October 10), Vanesa Martín (October 25), Los Pecos (October 26 and December 28), Leiva (November 8), Antonio Orozco (November 28 and 29), Mónica Naranjo (December 19), and Raphael (December 20).
As for international tours, highlights include Mora (September 23), with all tickets sold out; Lady Gaga (October 28, 29, and 31), Jamiroquai (November 6), and Mumford & Sons (November 23), who will not perform anywhere else in Spain; as well as Katy Perry (November 9) and Anuel AA (November 22 and 26).
Also performing at Sant Jordi Club over the coming months are, among many others, Damiano David (September 21), who has already sold out; Delaossa (October 4), Manuel Turizo (October 11), Los Planetas (October 17), Ojete Calor (October 25), Belén Aguilera (November 8), Lágrimas de Sangre (November 14 and 15), Roxette (November 16), Crystal Fighters (November 27), and Loquillo (December 27).
