those landmarks include certain sites, structures and buildings, which have reached such an iconic status, that they are commonly considered monuments. one of such icons, popularly considered a monument is the maracană soccer stadium - once the largest soccer stadium in the world. one of the grandest testaments to the country's national sport, the stadium opened, in 1950, to host the fifa world cup.
the maracană is a stadium steeped in footballing history - in fact, in addition to hosting the final of the 1950 world cup, it also received the largest audience in history for attendance of a football game, squeezing an incredible 200,000 spectators into the stadium, for the match between brazil and paraguay, in 1969.
over the years the stadium has undergone a number of renovations, as well as accommodating tightened regulations, which have brought the capacity down to 78,838 spectators. this has not altered the stadium's symbolic status in the city, where it is recognized as a temple of emotion and joy.
