In this article, we will talk about some of the most famous and renowned stadiums in Germany that are amazing and breathtaking.
Germany is located in Central Europe with an estimated population of 85,887,000 and is officially known as the Federal Republic of Germany. It falls between the Baltic and North Seas to the north and the south of the Alps.
It is the second most populous and seventh largest country in Europe after Russia. The capital is Berlin and the financial centre is Frankfurt.
Germany is famous for its folk festivals traditions like Oktoberfest and Christmas customs, which include practices like Stollen cakes, Christmas trees, Christmas pageants, Advent wreaths and other events.
In fact, around 41 properties have been included in the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Germany is also known for its music, art, design, literature, architecture, philosophy, media, and food like bread is a significant part of German cuisine. It has one of the densest road networks. Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport are the largest airports in Germany.
Besides this, there are several stadiums in Germany, one of them being football stadiums. German stadiums are among the most famous stadiums worldwide.
Football is considered the king of sports in Germany. Previously, it won the world cup in 2014. German stadiums hold a great atmosphere to them.
1. About Stadiums in Germany
The German Football Association or Deutscher Football Bund is the largest single sport organization worldwide. The German men’s national football team took away the FIFA world cup trophy four times, thanks to several stadiums in Germany.
To name a few German Bundesliga stadiums, we have the Signal Iduna Park, Allianz Arena, Mercedes Benz Arena, Veltins Arena, Olympic Park, Arena Aufschalke, Borussia Park, Deutsche Bank Park, Commerzbank Arena, Volkswagen Arena, and others.
- The Red Bull Arena is the largest football stadium in East Germany, located in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. The Red Bull Arena holds a capacity of up to 47,000 spectators. It was one of the venues during the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
- Borussia Park is a football stadium in North Rhine-Westphalia and serves as a home for the Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach. Borussia Park has a capacity of 54,057 spectators. This new stadium in Germany offers facilities like a sports bar, a VIP lounge, and a fan shop.
- The Veltins Arena, currently known as Arena Aufschalke, holds a capacity of 62,271 spectators and was built between 1998 and 2001. It has been home to the Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04.
- Talking about the second biggest stadium in Stuttgart, we have the Waldau Stadion, also known as Gazi Stadion auf der Waldau. It holds a capacity of 11,410 spectators and is the oldest known stadium in Germany and inaugurated in 1905.
- The Merkur Spiel Arena was known as the Esprit Arena until 2 August 2018. It is a multifunctional football stadium in Dusseldorf, Germany. It holds a capacity of 54,600 spectators with a retractable roof. This stadium has hosted several international matches and music events in the past.
So for all the crazy fans of stadiums and sports out there, check out these top 5 stadiums in Germany:
2. Top 5 Stadiums in Germany
2.1 Stadiums in Germany – Signal Iduna Park
Also called Westfalenstadion, the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund is home to the biggest and most popular football club, Borussia Dortmund.
It is the only stadium in Germany that can hold a capacity of spectators of over 81,000 (standing and seated), while an international capacity of over 65,000 (seated). It is by far the biggest stadium in the country.
The Signal Iduna Park also has the Yellow Wall, the hugest terrace in European football, and holds a capacity of around 24,000 fans on its own.
This stadium has a unique atmosphere that attracts thousands of people every week. It is made of four roofed grandstands and is directly situated next to Stadion Rote Erde.
The ground originally opened on 2nd April 1974 to host the 1974 World Cup. This stadium hosted the 2006 FIFA World Cup. During this, the arena was called FIFA World Cup Stadium Dortmund due to sponsorship contracts.
This stadium is the seventh largest in Europe and home to the second-largest German top-flight European club after Camp Nou. Its annual season tickets reached 55,000 in 2015. It organizes several international matches as well.
2.2 Allianz Arena
Situated in Munich, Bavaria, Allianz Arena is home to one of the biggest and most successful football clubs, Bayern Munich. This club is the current champion of the Bundesliga club. Previously the club played one of their home games at Munich Olympic Stadium since 1972.
Allianz Arena holds a capacity of over 70,000 for international matches and 75,000 for domestic ones. It is divided into three tiers. The lower tier can hold up to 20,000, the middle tier up to 24,000, and the upper tier up to 22,000 spectators.
The stadium consists of 2000 business seats, 400 seats for the press, and 106 luxury boxes.
It opened on 30th May 2005. It is the second-largest stadium in Germany after Signal Iduna Park. FC Bayern Munich has been playing home games since 2005 and 2006. Its exterior is made up of inflated ETFE plastic panels.
It is the first full-colour-changing exterior stadium in the world. There is a four-story parking garage that accommodates up to 9800 parking places.
Bayern Munich limited the capacities during their cup games and leagues up to 69,000. Allianz Arena also provides three-day care centres and a fan shop, the FC Bayern Munich Megastore.
Bayern Munich announced that capacity has been increased to 71,000 for domestic matches and 68,000 for UEFA matches.
2.3 Mercedes Benz Arena
Mercedes Benz Arena is a stadium located in the German city of Stuttgart. It was known as Neckarstadium until 1993 because of a nearby river named Neckar. Between 1993 and July 2008, it was called Gottlieb Daimler Stadion.
This stadium is home to the Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart. It is among the few stadiums in the world with PVC-coated polyester panels. This stadium was originally built in 1933 by Paul Bonatz.
It hosted four matches of the 1974 FIFA World Cup, two matches of the 1988 UEFA European Football Championship, and six matches of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Mercedes Benz Arena holds a total capacity of 60,449 spectators. It hosted Germany’s first national match after the end of World War II in 1950.
The stadium is divided into four sections namely – the Haupttribune (main stands), Gegentribune (opposite stands), Cannstatter Kurve (Cannstatt Curve) to the left of Haupttribune and the Unterturkheimer Kurve (Unterturkheim Curve) to the right of Haupttribune.
2.4 Veltins Arena
The Veltins Arena, currently known as Arena Aufschalke, holds a capacity of 62,271 spectators. It was built between 1998 and 2001 for 191 million Euros. Since its opening, it has been home to the Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04.
It is an indoor football stadium located in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Previously, Veltins Arena hosted the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final and five matches at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. It opened on 13th August 2001.
It holds a capacity of 62,271 (standing and seated) for league and 54,740 for international (seated) matches. The stadium also consists of a retractable roof as well as a pitch.
The roof is made up of Teflon-coated fibreglass canvas that covers the whole stadium. It also has a slide-out pitch.
2.5 Olympiastadion Berlin
Located in Berlin, Olympiastadion is a sports stadium located at the Olympiapark Berlin. This stadium in Germany was specially built for the 1936 Summer Olympics. It holds a capacity of over 74,000 spectators. It has been home to Hertha BSC since 1963.
Three matches of the 1974 FIFA World Cup were hosted here. It was renovated for the 2006 FIFA World Cup wherein six matches were hosted. It also hosted FIFA Women’s World Cup and UEFA Champions League Final in 2011 and 2015, respectively.
This stadium can have increased capacity just like the Signal Iduna Park and Allianz Arena. However, in the 1936 Summer Olympics, around 100,000 spectators were recorded.
It previously hosted the opening ceremony of the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games on 17th June 2023. It is a UEFA Category Four stadium. The Olympiastadion will also host the UEFA Euro 2024 final.
Conclusion
In summary, as a country with such rich culture and heritage, it is essential to maintain its image in front of the world. Despite the language barrier, thousands of tourists visit Germany annually.
In 2021, a total of twelve million tourists were recorded. It is one of the richest countries in the world.
It is the eighth most visited country in the world. Millions and billions of sports maniacs and stadiums in Germany make it a perfect destination for suspense-filled football matches. Therefore, you can surely plan your next trip abroad to this country.
Hence, these were all the stadiums that are a must-visit if you are a travel or sports maniac and want to witness some good sports matches.
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