Stadiums Built Over Ancient Ruins and Historic Landmarks

3. Estadio Nacional – Lima, Peru

Lima’s Estadio Nacional, the most important football stadium in Peru, is unknowingly connected to its Incan heritage. Before Spanish colonization, this land was believed to house a sacred Incan ceremonial site, part of the Qhapaq Ñan (Great Inca Road) system. While excavation beneath the stadium has been limited, historians claim the area once contained sacred stones and Incan artifacts that were either destroyed or removed during Lima’s expansion. Today, fans may not realize they are watching the Peruvian national team play on top of what was once sacred ground for the Incas. Built Over: An Ancient Incan Site.