Published : 2025-07-27
On July 27, 2008, the Olympic Village for the Beijing Olympic Games officially opened, which could accommodate 16,000 athletes and accompanying personnel from over 200 countries and regions.
During the Beijing Olympic Games, the Olympic Village served as a safe, comfortable, and warm home for Olympic athletes in Beijing and was also a small "global village" for cultural exchange and integration from around the world.
In the morning, a grand opening and welcome ceremony was held at the flag-raising plaza of the Olympic Village.
Liu Qi (劉淇), then member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, and President of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, handed over the key of the Olympic Village to Chen Zhili (陳至立), then Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), Vice President of the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee, and Head of the Beijing Olympic Village.
In her speech at the opening ceremony, Chen Zhili stated that the Olympic Village was fully prepared, warmly welcoming athletes, delegation officials, and media reporters from all around the world with open arms.
Also, Beijing citizen Li Fang (李放) and his family, representing all Beijing citizens, attended the unveiling of a traditional Chinese craft "Ruyi" with Chen Zhili, symbolising the citizens' good wishes for the Olympic Village and all its inhabitants.
The red gate then slowly opened, marking the official opening of the Olympic Village of the Beijing Olympic Games. Joyful music began to play on-site as hundreds of children in Fuwa costumes ran onto the stage, releasing colourful balloons and presenting Fuwa mascots and flowers to the guests.
The Chinese sports delegation was the first to formally move in.
Coaches, athletes, and officials from wrestling, judo, handball, field hockey, weightlifting, athletics, swimming, gymnastics, men's basketball, and badminton, as well as officials from the Chinese Olympic Committee and delegation staff, totalling 300 people, attended the opening ceremony.
Chinese athletes such as Yao Ming (姚明) and Liu Xiang (劉翔) appeared excited and could not hide their enthusiasm.
The Beijing Olympic Village is located within the Olympic Park, adjacent to the Forest Park in the north and near the main venues in the south, boasting a beautiful environment and convenient transportation, with a direct distance to the Bird's Nest of no more than 3 km.
The Olympic Village is divided into three zones: the International Zone, the Residential Zone, and the Operations Zone.
The International Zone includes the flag-raising plaza and a commercial street. The Residential Zone consists of 42 apartment buildings for athletes.
The Operations Zone includes supporting facilities such as parking lots, a welcome centre, a media centre, a visitor centre, an athlete shuttle bus station, and a logistics centre.
