Estádio Mangueirão – stadium description

Planned back in 1960s, it was dreamed by governor Alacid Nunes as a 120,000-capacity giant, the most impressive one in northern Brazil. Aspirations were grand and so was the architectural work delivered by Alcyr Meira. He created a concept perhaps equaling those of Maracana and Mineirao, perhaps even more impressive with its curved roof closely following the seating layout.

It would have been one of Brazil’s best stadium by the time it opened, but construction hadn’t finished for years. After 7 years of progress only over 60% of the upper stands was done, creating a horseshoe-like venue. Capacity was below 70,000, not even close to the initial goal.

In March 1978 it was opened to the public for an exhibition game between selection of the Pará state and national team of Uruguay. But the first game was played less than two weeks earlier, a league clash between Remo and Operário.

Remo and Paysandu, two largest local clubs, were using it as hosts, although only Remo have remained here in the long run. Not because they wanted it so much, but their old football-specific ground is not regarded as usable to this day. And when the two clubs faced each other in the Re-Pa derby, stands were filled with more than 60,000 on occasions.

As time went by, both local big firms lost their national recognition, entering the 21st century in decline. For the stadium it was the other way round. By 2002 the missing stands were finally built, all of the old structure refurbished and, perhaps most uniquely, the building actually gained a running track that was never there before. This forced demolition of the lower ends and results in bulk of the current capacity being located in the upper ring, like nowhere else.