A Real Madrid poster appealing for subscribers to help with the costs for the club's new stadium constructed between 1944 and 1947, 49 by 33cm., 19 1/

A Real Madrid poster appealing for subscribers to help with the costs for the club's new stadium constructed between 1944 and 1947, 49 by 33cm., 19 1/4 by 13in., rolled On 22 June 1944, the Banco Mercantil e Industrial bank granted a credit to Santiago Bernab?u and Rafael Salgado for the purchase of the land adjacent to the old Estadio Chamartin. On 5 September 1944, architects Manuel Mu?oz Monasterio and Luis Alemany Soler were hired and the structure on the site began to give way to the new stadium. On 27 October 1944, construction work on the stadium began. The Nuevo Estadio Chamart?n was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 with a match between Real Madrid and the Portuguese side Os Belenenses which resulted in a 3-1 victory for 'Los Blancos.' The stadium had an initial capacity of 75,145 spectators, 27,645 of which had seats (7,125 covered) and 47,500 for standing fans. The first major renovation occurred in 1954. On 19 June of that year, the stadium expanded to accommodate 125,000 spectators. Thus, the Madrid coliseum became the biggest stadium of all the participants of the newly established European Cup competition. On 4 January 1955, after the General Assembly of Members Compromisaros, it was decided that the stadium adopt its present name in honour of club President Santiago Bernab?u.