Euro 2012. Baltic Arena - the Venue of the Century

The Baltic Arena is a multi-use stadium in Gdansk's Letnica neighborhood, Poland, which is going to be constructed for 2012 UEFA European Football Championship. Baltic Arena is a pioneer project. No one in Poland has ever constructed a building like this. It will be the most modern stadium in Poland complying with all UEFA regulations. Its capacity will be 44,000 people; of which 40,000 seats will be for spectators and the remaining 4000 will be for emergency services, police, fire brigade, stadium wards and media representatives.

According to recent plans stadium will look like amber and will be similar to Allianz Arena in Munich. The construction was going to start in 2007. The construction of Baltic Arena will start in exactly one year so that it will be finished in mid 2011, it will be used mostly for football (European soccer) matches. This date will give us enough time to equip it properly and test it before the start of European Football Championship which will take place in Gdansk in 2012.

It will cover about 4 hectares, but combined with surrounding car parks, green areas, training pitch it will cover 37 hectares. Nevertheless, it will be easily accessible and will take only 10 minutes to get there from the city centre by bus, tram or train.

Its cost is estimated at 170 million Euro. It's a major investment, but when the stadium is finished it will be one of the most distinctive venues of Gdansk, comparable with Neptune Fountain or Zuraw. As far as possible it will be a typical football stadium but its appearance will be something innovative and very impressive. The concept is about creating a building which looks like a huge lump of amber. At evening time its outside walls made of amber coloured material will be illuminated making this illusion more impressive. It will be even more spectacular as it is planned to be built on a site raised from the ground which will make the object visible from almost any place in Gdansk and from the sea.

This iconic building together with traditional Polish hospitality will make Euro 2012 an unforgettable sporting event.