Monumental Banco Pichincha
(Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo)

El Coloso del Salado
Former names	Monumental de Barcelona
Location	Guayaquil, Ecuador
Coordinates	Coordinates: 2°11′9.13″S 79°55′29.75″W / 2.1858694°S 79.9249306°W / -2.1858694; -79.9249306
Built	1987
Opened	December 27, 1987
Owner	Barcelona Sporting Club
Operator	Barcelona Sporting Club
Surface	Grass
Construction cost	$70,000,000
Architect	Miguel Angel Valarezo Tumbaco and Ricardo Mórtola
Capacity	59,283[1][2]
Field dimensions	105 x 70 meters
Tenants
Barcelona

The Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha (legally Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo) is a football stadium located in the parish of Tarqui in northern Guayaquil, Ecuador. The stadium is the home to an Ecuadorian football club Barcelona.

[edit] History

The Monumental was born from the initiative of club president Isidro Romero Carbo. He wanted Barcelona to have its own stadium, whom was playing their home games at the Estadio Modelo Alberto Spencer Herrera.

The stadium was inaugurated on December 27, 1987. The first game was played against Barcelona FC of Spain, which Barcelona SC won 1-0. Barcelona invited tons of South American football celebrities, such as Pelé, to the inauguration. Pelé was so astonished, he compared the stadium to the famous Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro.

“

Se o Maracanã é o maior estádio do mundo, o Monumental é um dos mais belos. (If Maracanã is the largest stadium in the world, Monumental is one of the most beautiful in world).

”

Pelé and his phrase have a golden plaque inside the stadium.

There are health care facilities, apparel-and-souvenir shops, and restaurants, on a total area of about 5,100 m². The football field is 105 metres long and 70 metres wide. The training field near the stadium is called Alternate Field Sigfredo Agapito Chuchuca in honor of one of the greatest midfielders in team history.

In January 2, 2008, the President of Barcelona Eduardo Maruri signed a 4-year contract with the Ecuadorian bank, Banco Pichincha, to have the commercial name of the stadium named after the bank. The legal name will remain as Estadio Monumental Isidro Romero Carbo.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• 19 Years of Monumental
• FEF article on name change