Skip to main content

The World’s Most Extraordinary Stadiums




Manchester United's Champions League clash against Portuguese side Sporting Braga on Wednesday was at one of the world's most extraordinary stadiums: the AXA Stadium, also known as the Estádio Municipal de Braga, more fondly (and more commonly to locals) known as The Quarry.
The extraordinary 30,000-seater was built as a host venue for Euro 2004, and was carved out of the side of a quarry on the edge of Mount Castro, overlooking the city. The almost-sheer rock faces at one end and along one side give the venue its unique look, one which is further enhanced by the Inca-inspired bridges which link the canopy covers over the seating.
To get around the fact that you can't walk all the way around the outside, the stadium even has a vast, 5,000sq metre square underneath the pitch. The ground has been showered with awards, and its architect, Eduardo Souto de Moura, has been awarded the Pritzker prize (architecture's equivalent of the Nobel Prize).
But how does it compare to the world's other most amazing sporting venues? Here's our pick of some of the most amazing venues in the world.
- - -
The Rock Stadium, Abu Dhabi
A Lebanese architecture firm has just won an award for its plans for a 40,000-seat stadium carved into the side of the Jebel Hafeet mountain range. "The original thought was to build a stand-alone stadium but, when I saw the site, I knew it would be perfect to carve into the mountain," architect Marwan Zgheib said. The proposal has yet to be given the go-ahead, though no construction timeline has been announced.
World Games Stadium, Taiwan
The multi-purpose venue is unique in that its roof and sides are made almost entirely of solar panels which provide all the electricity needed inside. It's also open at one end ,with the twisting spiral shape designed to look like a dragon.
The floating wooden football pitch in Panyee, Thailand
The football-mad islanders of Panyee had one problem back in the 1980s: they loved football but their tiny, rocky island had no space for a pitch. So they built a wooden pitch on water which floated next to their fishing boats - and put them on the road to becoming one of Thailand's most successful football clubs.
Cowboys Stadium
The £700 million masterpiece - heralded as "the world's coolest stadium" - has the world's largest retractable roof, world's two largest HD TV screens, and can accommodate up to 111,000 people.
Kantrida Stadium, Croatia
Often called the most scenic stadium in the world, the Kantrida in Rijeka may be small - it holds just 10,600 - but its charming position wedged between mountain and beach mean that is has been used for international friendly matches. And it's been a lucky venue: Croatia have never lost there.
Allianz Arena, Munich
The famous multi-coloured lighting system changes the look of this stadium completely at the flick of a switch: it's red when Bayern Munich play there, blue when fellow ground sharers 1860 Munich turn out, and white when used by the German national side.
Ski Dubai
Skiing in the desert? Sure, with real snow, chair lifts and even a stone-built Alpine-style lodge at the top of the mountain - and all in the year-round, 40-degree heat of the United Arab Emirates.
The Veltins Arena
The first venue in Europe to have a pitch that can be moved outside, Schalke's ground is deeply unpopular with the world's media for one simple reason: they are kicked out of the car park early after matches so that the turf can be moved back out to its normal spot, which is on the site of the press parking.
The Dripping Pan, Lewes

The famous East Sussex market town's sporting venue has been in regular use since the 19th century and remains the home of Lewes FC, but despite all sorts of official attempts to rename it it's never been able to shake its unusual moniker.
Isola d'Arbia, Siena
Plans for this incredible stadium - which is sunk into the ground to avoid blighting the stunning Tuscan countryside - were first announced early in 2011 by AC Siena, and following the side's promotion to Serie A just over a year ago hopes were high that they could get the project going so as to finally move away from their existing 15,000-seater venue. With six points from their first 11 games of 2012-13, however, funding is proving elusive at the moment.
Stadio Hernando Siles, Bolivia
Not only is Bolivia's national stadium hemmed in by higgledy-piggledly skyscrapers in La Paz, at 12,000ft above sea level it is the highest top-level sporting venue in the world.




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

MISS EDEMAYA BEAUTY PAGEANT 2013

EdemAya, a community so rich in mineral resources, and one of the five clans that make up the present day Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria is hosting the world on the 29 th of March 2013. As we gathered from the head of the organizing group, Miss Precious Dominic Akpan, the event is scheduled to take place at the Cooperative Hall, Ikot Ubo Akama, Edemaya in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State. Three beauties are to emerge from the event which promises to be the first ever organized pageant. The Eligibility Form which are currently on sale for a token of N 2,000 will qualify the contestants to struggle for Miss EdemAya, Miss Democracy of EdemAya and Miss Culture & Tourism of EdemAya. The screening and training of the contestants commences on 25 th through 28 th of March 2013. We have been reliably informed that the event will parade ‘who is who’ in the music industry in Akwa Ibom State and a popular reggae artist from Delta State. Imagine the sque

Snoop Lion Excommunicated From The Rastafari Community

Snoop Lion excommunicated from the Rastafari Community, according to Bunny Wailer! Bunny has always had his doubts about  Snoop Lion ‘s intent and now his skepticism has taken an even stronger stance, that of excommunication. The news was broken via his  Facebook  profile and via  press release . Recently Snoop Lion has struggled to convince the Rastafari and Reggae community that he is sincere about his profession of, and transition to the faith, principles and beliefs of Rastafari. Most doubtful is Bunny Wailer the only living member of the original Wailer. ‘ Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it. Some groups use the term disfellowship instead, ‘ stated Bunny’s official release. With that said, this would surely deprive Snoop Lion from direct contact to some elders within the Rastafarian community also, access to vital information and place of worship. Let us see

VIDEO: Two Girls Stripped In Public For Stealing Brazilian Hair

These two young girls were stripped naked in public by a shop owner after they were caught stealing  Brazilian hair . According to information gathered, these girls entered  the shop  as if they were interested in purchasing something. One of the girl’s intentionally decided to engage the owner in a conversation by asking lot of questions on the types of  Brazilian  hairs at the store and then the other girl was busy stealing Brazilian hairs. Watch the video  below: