"The Most Beautiful Place on Earth"... Beach Volleyball Stadium Rising as a 'Selfie Spot' [Paris Olympics]

12,000-Capacity Stadium Sold Out Consecutively
Featuring Performances and DJ Club Music

On the 11th (local time), the Paris Olympics will conclude after a 17-day grand journey. This Olympics gained attention by holding events at various iconic locations throughout the 'City of Love,' Paris. Among these, the most popular venue was undoubtedly the beach volleyball stadium set up beneath Paris's iconic symbol, the Eiffel Tower.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

The beach volleyball stadium became a hotspot for 'selfies.' The Eiffel Tower Stadium, with the 324-meter-high Eiffel Tower in the background, has a considerable capacity of 12,000 spectators, and it was filled with audiences throughout the event. Especially, the evening matches attracted crowds eager to enjoy both the game and the night view of the Eiffel Tower, creating a win-win situation.

On the 29th of last month (local time), the Group A preliminary match between Italy and Australia in beach volleyball for the 2024 Paris Olympics was held at the Eiffel Tower stadium set up in Champ de Mars Park, Paris, France.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

As the sky turned red with the sunset reflecting, the Eiffel Tower appeared golden, and spectators gazed at the illuminated tower in awe, continuously taking photos. The Washington Post commented, "Overnight, the beach volleyball stadium unofficially broke the Olympic record for selfie-taking."

The Paris Olympic Organizing Committee transported sand from a quarry about 120 km northeast of Paris to build this stadium. This quarry had previously supplied sand for the beach volleyball events at the 2004 Athens, 2012 London, and 2016 Rio Olympics. The sand is characterized by fine particles of 250 microns (0.25 mm in diameter) and has a high silica (silicon dioxide) content, which helps keep the sand cooler under the sun.

The beach volleyball matches began on the day after the opening ceremony, on the 27th of last month, and continued throughout the Olympics. With performances and DJ club music accompanying the games, the stadium transformed into a massive festival venue. It received praise from media worldwide. The Wall Street Journal called it "the most beautiful stadium on Earth," while the UK's Guardian described the beach volleyball matches under the Eiffel Tower as "an unreal spectacle." The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) also praised it, saying, "It set a new standard for Olympic venues and captured the hearts and imaginations of many around the world."

On the afternoon of the 26th of last month (local time), when the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics was held, a laser show was taking place at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The Paris Olympics actively utilized Paris's history and cultural heritage as venues, such as holding the opening ceremony with athletes entering by boat along the Seine River, staging archery in front of Les Invalides, where Napoleon's tomb is located, and hosting BMX racing, skateboarding, and breaking (break dance) competitions at the Concorde Square, famous for its obelisk.

Meanwhile, in the women's beach volleyball final held on the 9th, Brazil defeated Canada to win the gold medal. The men's final, held at 5:30 AM Korean time on the 11th, will see Germany and Sweden compete for the gold medal.