Estadio Universidad San Marcos

Estadio de la UNMSM
Colosseum of the Americas
Full name	Estadio de la Universidad Nacional Mayor San Marcos
Location	Lima, Peru
Owner	Universidad San Marcos
Operator	Universidad San Marcos
Capacity	32,000
Surface	Grass
Construction
Built	1951
Opened	May 13, 1951

The Estadio de la UNMSM is a multi-purpose stadium located in Lima, Peru, belonging to the National University of San Marcos. It was inaugurated on May 13, 1951, with a seating capacity of 32,000 and covers an area of 48,782 m². Safety measures have been taken and they have reduced the maximum to 32,000 for the safety of the public.^[1] The stadium is used by several Peruvian teams who do not have a home ground. It has a running track and is near an archaeological excavation site known as Huaca San Marcos, which is also located in the center of the University City of the National University of San Marcos. In 2019, it was the main stadium for the football matches of the 2019 South American U-17 Championship and the 2019 Pan American Games.

Today is an alternate stadium of the football team Club Universitario de Deportes, which plays in the First Division of Peru. Previously, it was the official stadium of the football team of the university, the Club Deportivo Universidad San Marcos, which played in the Second Division of Peru. Besides the stadium is used for extracurricular activities for students, teachers and administrators at the University of San Marcos

History

The stadium of the University of San Marcos began to be built around 1943 as part of the work of the then "Pro-Unemployed Board". The western platform was placed on the Huaca Concha, the northernmost of the Complex Maranga. The other stands were built with extra padding it. The esplanade match the old sports archaeological plaza located east of Huaca. Officially opened on 13 May 1951, commemorating the 400th anniversary of founding of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; the opening generated great expectations as the first large-capacity stadium in Peru, which was attended by then-President Manuel Odria, his education minister and the chancellor of the university. The opening match was between the Sport Boys of Callao and Palmeiras of Brazil.

For its construction on archaeological stuffed unstable over the years, cracks appeared in the stands and large slumps. In 1993 the government of Alberto Fujimori earmarked money for the renovation of the stadium. When machines raised the floor of the esplanade of the western grandstand, which was hardest hit, were exposed bale walls and archaeological 1,500 years old. Despite this, he set the fence and custody of the place, and built new footings on the archaeological architecture.