The origins of the Olympic Village: since when and why did athletes come together during the Games?

The Olympic Games They are a unique event for any city that hosts them. A milestone that boosts the country’s economy and the city’s renovation but also requires investment and a transformative spirit. And this proves the construction or location of Olympic Village. For example, at the Olympic Games in Paris, the facilities housing the athletes were located in Saint Denis, one of the most conflicted neighborhoods in the French capital. After the Games, the area will become a neighborhood with 2,500 new homes, a student residence, a hotel, more than 120,000 m2 of offices and services for the city and 3,200 m2 of neighborhood shops. The goal is to achieve a total transformation towards an eco-responsible and functional neighborhood integrated into the city of the future.

But the Olympic Village as we know it today did not always exist. In the first modern Olympic Games, the committees of the participating countries were responsible for finding accommodation for their athletes. In Los Angeles 1932 The first Olympic village was built outside the city and was only for male athletes.

Four years later on Berlin 1936, an Olympic village was built with 150 rooms spread over several buildings on the outskirts of the city. In addition, there is also a hospital and a training center. In Melbourne 1956 the term Olympic Village was coined for the first time and over the years and the growth of the Games, they gained more and more weight.

All this has a clear purpose. Offer athletes the best conditions so they can focus exclusively on their sports performance. The Olympic Villages They are more modern and offer better services, not just accommodation. In Paris, up to 60,000 meals will be served each day and all athletes will have a medical clinic at their disposal at any time of the day.