Euro 2012 - Poland Stadium Maslice
The Stadium in Maslice is a planned football stadium, which will be built in Wroclaw, Poland. The stadium will have a seating capacity of 44,000.
With the citizens of Wroclaw looking forward to the construction of a spanking 44,000 seater super arena spare a thought for the Olympic Stadium. Forget the indentikit lego stadia you get nowadays, this place is an absolute must for stadium buffs.
Built to a design by Richard Konwiarz construction began in 1926, with the official ribbon cutting taking place two years later. In spite of the name the place has absolutely nothing to do with the Olympics held in Germany eight years later. Instead the title is attributed to the architect, who was awarded an Olympic medal for his stadium designs used during the Amsterdam games in 1928 and Los Angeles in 1932. With Wroclaw a model Third Reich city an extensive remodelling was undertaken between 1935-1939. Re-christened the Herman Goering Sportfeld it became a popular assembly point for torch-lit parades and other sinister happenings, often illuminated with searchlights strobing the night sky. Surrounded with fluttering swastikas the stadium also played host to the 5th Summer Tournament of Hitler Youth in 1941.
The complex, also housing swimming facilities, camping grounds and gymnasiums, saw thousands of young Aryans from across Europe congregate. Competing in athletics, shooting and swimming contests the cream of Europe's young racists tested themselves against each other under the delighted eye of Gauleiter Karl Henke – the man ultimately responsible for the civilian disaster that was to occur four years later. With Breslau turned into the Polish city of Wroclaw the stadium continued to flourish. For decades it served as home to the local football side, Slask Wroclaw, and in 1979 it became the first stadium in Poland to unveil underground pitch heating (used for the last time when Poland played Norway in 1987).
It was in 1961 when a record 50,000 fans squeezed in to watch the 1961 World Championships. The 387 meter track still frequently hosts international competitions, as well as being the full time fortress of local speedway team WTS Atlas Wroclaw. Although there is actually room for 40,000 spectators safety concerns limit current capacity to 9,400. Hopes of returning the stadium to its former grandeur briefly surfaced when Wroclaw was voted as a host city for Euro 2012. Since then the city gods have opted to build a brand new amphitheater though it remains likely that the Olympic Stadium will undergo a full renovation to allow it to act as a training facility for competing teams. Until that day the stadium stands as a remarkable phantom, the ghosts and glories of yesteryear whispering in the wind.
Construction is due to begin in 2008, and finish in 2010. It will be used as a host for the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship . Originally, the plan was to refurbish Olympic Stadium for the championship. However it was decided to build the new stadium. The final name of the stadium has not yet been decided upon, and the current name is informal.