The original palace was built in 1865,was built with the Crystal Palace London for inspiration. It was demolished in 1951 for him to build the new stadium designed by architect José Carlos Loureiro.
In 1952, the dome still incomplete, and was held in the then called the Sports Pavilion,the World Cup of Ice Hockey, in which Portugal would win.
Over the years, and the Sports Pavilion was welcoming,not just games of hockey, but also badminton, or basketball,handball, volleyball, or boxing,judo, gymnastics, and skating,fencing, soccer, and weightlifting,tennis, tennis table, and climbing,etc.. Here we hold also carried out various recreational and cultural activities, including musical performances, or theater,circus, conferences and exhibitions. Gardens of the Crystal Palace include the so-called Garden Emilio David that has some exquisite specimens of rhododendrons, and camellias,pines, ginkgos andbeeches, or as well as fountains and statues of allegorical to the seasons.
Source: cnn.com