Stadiums Built Over Ancient Ruins and Historic Landmarks

20. Estadio Centenario – Montevideo, Uruguay

Estadio Centenario is more than just the birthplace of World Cup history—it’s a sacred place in the world of football. Built in just nine months to host the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930, this legendary stadium has become a national monument in Uruguay. But what’s often overlooked is the deeper, older story of the land it was built on. The stadium sits atop a hill that was once a key vantage point for pre-Columbian indigenous tribes—most notably the Charrúa people—who used the elevated ground for ceremonial gatherings, stargazing, and strategic watchpoints overlooking the Río de la Plata. The hill offered unobstructed views of the surrounding lands and waters, making it both spiritually significant and defensively practical. Archaeological finds in the surrounding area, including stone tools, arrowheads, and fragments of ceremonial pottery, suggest that this site held cultural importance long before football ever arrived. Today, crowds chant and sing in celebration of the modern game, often unaware that the cheers echo across a hill that once bore witness to ancestral rituals and ancient tribal life. Built Over: Indigenous ceremonial hilltop used by pre-Columbian tribes.