Strahov Stadium
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| Location |  Strahov,Prague, Czech Republic |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1926 |
| Owner | Prague City Council |
| Surface | grass |
| Capacity | 220,000[1] |
| Field dimensions | 9 football pitches (total 310.5 x 202.5 m) |
| Tenants | |
| Sparta Prague (training only) | |
The Great Strahov Stadium (Velký strahovský stadion in Czech) is a stadium in the Strahov district of Prague, Czech Republic. The stadium is no longer in use for sports events; it is a training centre for Sparta Prague, and is used to host pop concerts. The stadium is sited on Petřín hill overlooking the old city. It can be accessed by taking the Petřín funicular up the hill through the gardens.
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[edit] Construction
The stadium was the largest in the world when first constructed, and is still the second largest sports facility worldwide after the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, seating around 220,000[1].
Construction began on a wooden stadium in 1926, which was replaced by concrete grandstands in 1932. Further construction occurred in 1948 and 1975. The playing field, surrounded by seating on all sides, is 63,500 square metres. The stadium currently serves Sparta Prague as a training centre with 8 football pitches (6 pitches of standard sizes and 2 futsal pitches).
[edit] History
The original stadium dates from the First Republic between the World Wars and served as a venue for Sokol displays of synchronized gymnastics on a massive scale. It was later used for large displays during the communist era. Performances with several hundred gymnasts making various complex formations and exercising identically while accompanied by tunes from traditional folk music attracted the attention of many visitors. Each time, among the widely popular shows were those of young well-trained recruits who wore only boxer shorts while on the display or women dancing in miniskirts. The groups of gymnasts (unlike the soldiers, who were ordered to practise and participate) were put together from keen local Sokol athletic association members who regularly trained for the show throughout the year prior to the event, which repeated every five years. The ambiguous name of the performance, Spartakiáda, referred to the power and strength of the slave uprising led by Spartacus.
Motor racing also took place in the stadium in the mid-1960s.
Since 1990, the stadium has been used for concerts.
[edit] Concerts
- Rolling Stones, Aug. 18, 1990 and Aug. 5, 1995, attendance 100,000 and 127,000 respectively.
- Guns N' Roses, May 20, 1992, attendance 100,000 spectators.
- Bon Jovi, Sept. 4, 1993.
- Aerosmith, May 27, 1994.
- Pink Floyd, Sept. 7, 1994, attendance was officially 110,000, but eventually another estimated 10,000 people sneaked in or pushed into the venue.
- Bratři Nedvědové, June 21, 1996, attendance 60,000
- U2, Aug. 14, 1997, attendance approx. 80,000 - 90,000 spectators (the second largest concert of the 1997 PopMart Tour)
- AC/DC, June 12, 2001, attendance 25,000 people, guest: Rammstein
- Ozzfest, May 30, 2002, attendance 30,000. Line-up: Škwor, AntiProduct, AstroMetro, Royal Playboy Cartel, Slayer, Ozzy Osbourne
Václav Havel, former president of Czech Republic visited both of Rolling Stones concerts.
[edit] The Future of the Stadium
In the last decade several studies have looked at adaptive reuse and preservation of this unique structure. There are plans to convert the mammoth Strahov stadium complex into a commercial zone complete with hotels, restaurants and shops. Another suggestion is to turn the area into a "leisure mecca for the 21st century". There were also plans to rebuild the area as an Olympic village if Prague wins a future Olympic bid; bidding for 2016 was unsuccessful.[1]
The stadium will be used for the Ultimate Frisbee 2010 World Ultimate Club Championships
[edit] References
- ^ a b c The Prague Post - Rethinking 'Fortress Strahov'[dead link] by Andrew Satter
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 50°4′49.21″N 14°23′16.30″E / 50.0803361°N 14.387861°E
