Silesian Stadium

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Silesian Stadium
"Stadion Śląski"


fullname = Silesian Stadium
"Stadion Śląski"
nickname = Witches' Pot
location = Chorzów, Silesia, Poland
built = 1956
opened = 22 July 1956
owner = Silesian Voivodeship
seating_capacity = 50,000 (in the past 120,000)
tenants = Poland national team
Silesian national team¹
and:
Górnik Zabrze¹
GKS Katowice¹
Ruch Chorzów¹
Polonia Bytom¹
GKS Tychy¹
other club from USMU¹
¹ - only important matches
dimensions = 105 x 68 m

Silesian Stadium (Polish: "Stadion Śląski") is a sport stadium located between Chorzów and Katowice, Silesia, Poland. It opened on 22 July 1956 and has since hosted crowds of over 120,000 for both football matches and motorcycle speedway world championships. It also hosts music festivals.

History

It was decided to build the Silesia Stadium in 1950 and Julian Brzuchowski was chosen as its designer. Silesia Stadium was completed in 1956, together with the 10th Anniversary Stadium ( _pl. Stadion Dziesięciolecia) in Warsaw. On 22 July 1956, it hosted its first event - a friendly game with the East Germany national football team (2:0 for the Germans). Electric lighting was installed in 1959.

Initially designed to hold 87,000 people, it was often filled by crowds ranging between 90,000 and 100,000. On September 18, 1963, it held a record number of spectators (120,000) during a European Cup match between Górnik Zabrze and FK Austria Wien. However, the enforcement of international security standards forced the stadium's authorities to reduce its number of seats.

In 1993, the stadium was designated as the official home stadium of the Polish national football team. In the 1990s, the stadium was converted to an all-seater stadium, reducing the capacity to 47,246. Currently, there are plans to expand its capacity to 70,000 and to construct a roof over the stadium.

Events

Football

Poland national football team

Other matches

*22 July 1974 Silesia vs Tanzania was played at Silesia Stadium. Silesia won 7:2.
*1950s to now - derby of Upper Silesia (more exactly derby of Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union) was played at the stadium.

peedway

The grass of Silesia Stadium is surrounded by a speedway track.

Major events run at the Stadium in the past include: :Speedway World Championships::*individual: 1973, 1976, 1979 and 1986:*doubles: 1978 and 1981:*team: 1974:Speedway Grand Prix of Europe: 2002, 2003

Concerts

Silesia Stadium has hosted a number of large concerts, including performances by Iron Maiden, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Metallica, Queensryche, Nightwish and Slipknot. On 5 July 2005, U2 performed for a crowd of 80,000. In 2007, it was the venue of performances by Linkin Park, Pearl Jam, Genesis and Red Hot Chili Peppers - crowd of 60,000. In 2008, it was the venue of performances by The Police, Metallica - crowd of 60,000.

References

* [http://sport.gazeta.pl/sport/1,65026,3502508.html "Pół wieku Stadionu Śląskiego"] (Half a century of the Silesian Stadium)
*Gazeta Wyborcza
**"Pół wieku Stadionu Śląskiego" Część 1, 26 czerwca 2006, page: [http://www.fotosik.pl/pokaz_obrazek/pelny/131a389763b1b7bf.html 1] , [http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=de08da4c2a9a00fa 2] , [http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=d2b837c06671d52d 3] , [http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=871311f47332eb4d 4]
**"Pół wieku Stadionu Śląskiego" Część 3, 10 lipca 2006, page: [http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=2d8b20b07aa62850 1] , [http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=82da556a9b971dcb 2] , [http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=7d38dcdc1d18896c 3] , [http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=0962d0f505fc27eb 4]
**"Pół wieku Stadionu Śląskiego" Część 4, 17 lipca 2006, page: [http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=e31b370a0b1b9db6 1] , [http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=62cc9f52f21c6bb2 2] , [http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=cb76ed9c8843c3a3 3] , [http://www.fotosik.pl/showFullSize.php?id=a5f9516b25e09889 4]

External links

* [http://www.stadionslaski.pl Official Silesian Stadium Website]