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The Great Strahov Stadium () is a
stadium A stadium (: stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage completely or partially surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit ...
in the Strahov district of
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
,
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
. It was built for displays of synchronized gymnastics on a massive scale, with a field three times as long and three times as wide as the standard
association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
pitch. Its capacity of 250,000 spectators (56,000 seated) made it larger than any current or former sports stadium, and the second largest sports venue ever. the stadium is no longer in use for competitive sports events. It is a training centre for
Sparta Prague Athletic Club Sparta Praha (), commonly known as Sparta Prague and Sparta Praha, is a professional football club based in Prague. It is the most successful club in the Czech Republic and one of the most successful in central Europe, winning t ...
and hosts pop and rock concerts. The stadium is located on Petřín Hill, overlooking the old city. It can be accessed by taking the Petřín funicular up the hill through the gardens, or by taking tram lines 22, 23, or 25 to Malovanka station.


Construction

Construction began based on plans by the architect
Alois Dryák Alois Dryák (24 February 1872 in Brandýsek, Olšany – 6 June 1932 in Prague) was a Czechs, Czech architect and professor of ornamental design. Dryák is most famous for the design of the ornamental detail on Art Nouveau masterpieces such as ...
, 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 Athletic Club Sparta Praha (), commonly known as Sparta Prague and Sparta Praha, is a professional football club based in Prague. It is the most successful club in the Czech Republic and one of the most successful in central Europe, winning t ...
as a training centre with 8 football pitches (6 pitches of standard sizes and 2
futsal Futsal is a variant of association football played between two teams of five players each on a court smaller than a football pitch. Its rules are based on the Laws of the Game (association football), Laws of the Game of association football, and i ...
pitches).


History

The original stadium dates from the First Republic between the World Wars and served as a venue for popular Sokol displays of massive synchronized gymnastics. Construction of the first stadium began in 1926 on the current ground plan for the 8th . On 14 May 1933 the stadium hosted
motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that ...
for the first time. The stadium was modernized in 1932 for the 9th Všesokolský slet. Both of these displays were attended by Czechoslovak President T. G. Masaryk, who had been a member of Sokol since he was thirteen, on his horse Hektor. The largest attendance was recorded in 1938 on the occasion of the jubilee "World anti-war" 10th Všesokolský slet. During the Nazi occupation the stadium was used for a military parade in honor of
Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
's 50th birthday. Later it became an assembly spot for
Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
, before they were sent to
concentration camps A concentration camp is a prison or other facility used for the internment of political prisoners or politically targeted demographics, such as members of national or ethnic minority groups, on the grounds of national security, or for exploit ...
. After
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, it was used as a temporary detention center for German-speaking Czechs awaiting expulsion. A few months after the
end of World War II in Europe The end of World War II in Europe occurred in May 1945. Following the Death of Adolf Hitler, suicide of Adolf Hitler on 30 April, leadership of Nazi Germany passed to Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz and the Flensburg Government. Soviet Union, Soviet t ...
, two units of the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
played an exhibition game of
American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...
. On September 28, 1945, a crowd of 40,000 watched soldier-athletes of the 94th Infantry Division defeat a team from the XXII Corps, by a score of 6–0. The first motor sport event after the end of the World War II was held at the stadium on 2 September 1945. 11th Všesokolský slet in 1948 was used as a protest against rising
communism Communism () is a political sociology, sociopolitical, political philosophy, philosophical, and economic ideology, economic ideology within the history of socialism, socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a ...
. Soon after, the Sokol was dissolved and followed Spartakiades. The Sokol displays were renamed Spartakiads during the communist era. The Spartakiads also took place in the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
,
East Germany East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from Foundation of East Germany, its formation on 7 October 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on ...
and
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
. The first World Championship speedway event held in
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
was at the stadium when it hosted a continental qualifying round during the 1963 Individual Speedway World Championship on 9 May 1963. The last speedway meeting was held on 2 September 1973. Performances with several thousand gymnasts making various complex formations, with some performers performing in synchronization while traditional folk music played overhead, attracted the attention of many visitors. Some of the most 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 volunteer gymnasts (unlike the soldiers, who were ordered to practice and participate) were put together from top level local athletic association members who regularly trained for the show throughout the year prior to the event. The event was held semi-decadally until 1985. The last Spartakiad was held here in 1985. Renewed 12th Všesokolský slet took place here with the presence of Czech President
Václav Havel Václav Havel (; 5 October 193618 December 2011) was a Czech statesman, author, poet, playwright, and dissident. Havel served as the last List of presidents of Czechoslovakia, president of Czechoslovakia from 1989 until 1992, prior to the dissol ...
in 1994. However, the next Sokol venues took place on the smaller stadiums ( Stadion Evžena Rošického and
Eden Arena Fortuna Arena (formerly known as Sinobo Stadium, Eden Arena and Synot Tip Arena) is a football stadium, in Prague-Vršovice, Czech Republic. The stadium has a capacity of 19,370 people and it is the biggest and the most modern football stadium ...
). In 1990, Great Strahov Stadium hosted British classic rock group, The
Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
. The concert had 100,000 spectators, most notably, former President Václav Havel. In 1995
Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...
used the stadium for a massive public mass. Since the 90's, the spacious building hosted few events. Weeds and other vegetation grew on the playing surfaces, due to a lack of care. The area was also used for exhibitions and trade fairs, and was also used for exhibition polo games. At the beginning of the 21st century, there were talks about demolishing the venue. However, those talks have since diminished. In 2003, part of the stadium, with the financial support of the City of
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
, was reconstructed by
AC Sparta Prague Athletic Club Sparta Praha (), commonly known as Sparta Prague and Sparta Praha, is a professional association football, football club based in Prague. It is the most successful club in the Czech Republic and one of the most successful in cen ...
. Eight football fields were built, and it is now used as a training centre for Sparta. In 2014, the complex management of the stadium was resolved and it is now owned by the city of Prague. The 2019 Apple iPhone XR "Color Flood" commercial, which featured large numbers of people running in different colored jumpsuits, was filmed at the stadium.


Concerts

Since 1990, the stadium has been used for rock concerts. *
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
– Aug 18, 1990 & Aug 5, 1995 (attendance 100,000 & 127,000 respectively) *
Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...
– May 20, 1992 (attendance 60,000), with
Soundgarden Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Cornell switched to rhythm guitar in 1985, replaced on drums initially ...
and
Faith No More Faith No More is an American Rock music, rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before September 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist/rhythm guitarist ...
*
Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983. The band consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarists John Shanks and Phil X, percussionist Everett Bradley ...
– Sept 4, 1993 (attendance 30,000) with
Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Idol achieved fame in the 1970s on the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of Generation X ...
and
Little Angels Little Angels were an English hard rock band predominantly active between the mid-1980s and mid-1990s. The band reformed to play the Download Festival#2012, 2012 Download Festival. History 1984–1994: Early history and UK popularity Little A ...
*
Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...
– May 27, 1994 (attendance 50,000) with Extreme *
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments ...
– Sept 7, 1994 (official attendance 110,000, but eventually another estimated 10,000 people snuck in or pushed into the venue) *Bratři Nedvědové – June 21, 1996 (attendance 60,000) * U2 – Aug 14, 1997 (attendance approx. 62,000) *
AC/DC AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal, although the band calls it simply "rock and roll". They are cited as a formativ ...
– June 12, 2001 (attendance 25,000), with
Rammstein Rammstein (, "ramming stone") is a German band formed in Berlin in 1994. The band's lineup—consisting of lead vocalist Till Lindemann, lead guitarist Richard Kruspe, rhythm guitarist Paul Landers, bassist Oliver Riedel, drummer Christoph ...
*
Ozzfest Ozzfest was an annual music festival tour of the United States and sometimes Europe and later Japan, featuring performances by many heavy metal music, heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Sharon Osbourne and her husband O ...
– May 30, 2002 (attendance 30,000), with
Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which per ...
,
Tool A tool is an Physical object, object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many Tool use by animals, animals use simple tools, only human bei ...
and
Slayer Slayer is an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California, formed in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical style made them ...


Future of the stadium

In the last decade several studies have looked at
adaptive reuse Adaptive reuse is the reuse of an existing building for a purpose other than that for which it was originally built or designed. It is also known as recycling and conversion. The adaptive reuse of buildings can be a viable alternative to new con ...
and preservation of this unique structure. There are plans to convert the extremely large Great Strahov stadium complex into a commercial zone complete with hotels, restaurants and shops. Another proposition was to convert the area into a "leisure mecca for the 21st century". There were plans to rebuild the area as an
Olympic village An Olympic Village is a residential complex built or reassigned for the Olympic Games in or nearby the List of Olympic Games host cities, host city for the purpose of accommodating all of the delegations. Olympic Villages are usually located clos ...
if Prague won a future Olympic bid. However, the bid for 2016 was unsuccessful.


See also

* Sport in the Czech Republic * Stadion Evžena Rošického


References


External links


Photo gallery of the stadium
{{Authority control Sports venues in Prague Music venues in Prague Strahov AC Sparta Prague Petřín Prague 6 1926 establishments in Czechoslovakia Sports venues completed in 1926 Music venues completed in 1926 20th-century architecture in the Czech Republic