- 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 Zabrze ¹GKS Katowice ¹Ruch Chorzów ¹Polonia Bytom ¹GKS Tychy ¹
other club from USMU¹
¹ - only important matches
dimensions = 105 x 68 mSilesian Stadium (Polish: "Stadion Śląski") is a
sport stadium located betweenChorzów andKatowice ,Silesia ,Poland . It opened on22 July 1956 and has since hosted crowds of over 120,000 for both football matches andmotorcycle speedway world championships. It also hostsmusic festival s.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 theEast 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 betweenGórnik Zabrze andFK 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 ofUpper 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 Championship s::*individual: 1973, 1976, 1979 and 1986:*doubles: 1978 and 1981:*team: 1974:Speedway Grand Prix of Europe : 2002, 2003Concerts
Silesia Stadium has hosted a number of large concerts, including performances by
Iron Maiden ,The Rolling Stones ,AC/DC ,Metallica ,Queensryche ,Nightwish and Slipknot. On5 July 2005 ,U2 performed for a crowd of 80,000. In 2007, it was the venue of performances byLinkin Park ,Pearl Jam , Genesis andRed Hot Chili Peppers - crowd of 60,000. In 2008, it was the venue of performances byThe 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]
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