Wembley Stadium
From ArticleWorld
The Wembley Stadium, built in 1923 as the Country’s National Stadium, is a football mecca for people all over the world. Wembley Stadium or the Empire Stadium as it was first known, was originally built as a proud monument rather than just a functional arena. It first opened to the public in 1923, and since then has hosted hundreds of matches and other events unrelated to sports. Even though it was constantly renovated and improved, it has had to undergo a massive face lift to match international standards has been closed to the public since 2000. The razing to the ground of its famous twin towers has given rise to public wrath and save Wembley Groups have mushroomed everywhere.
Contents |
The Past
At the end of WW I, The British Government began planning a stadium with a National Sports Ground as its centre piece and the Wembley Park Leisure Ground, was selected as the ideal site. Sir John Simpson and Maxwell Ayerton were chosen as its architects with Sir Owen Williams as the Head Engineer. It took just 300 days to complete at a cost of £750,000.
Wembley Stadium has been the venue for the FA Cup finals that were played there every year, till 2000 (excluding war years). It has hosted many World Cup Football Finals, innumerable European Cup finals and two Winner Cup Finals.
Besides football
Wembley has hosted many other sports in its precincts. Some of them may be enumerated as follows:
- Challenge Cup (Rugby) finals, many times
- main athletics venue for Summer Olympics, 1948
- American Football
- boxing Matches
- greyhound racing
- motorcycle speedway
Besides sports
A number of music concerts are held regularly at Wembley.
The future
The Stadium has been closed for renovation and redevelopment for the past six years. It has been rebuilt at a massive cost of 757 million pounds, the most expensive ever, and is going to be able to seat 90,000 spectators when it finally opens its doors to the public in the May of 2006.
Categories: 2012 Summer Olympic venues | Athletics stadia in the United Kingdom | Brent | British rugby league stadia | England national football team | FIFA World Cup stadiums | Football venues in England | Music venues in London | Olympic stadiums | Speedway venues | Sports venues in London | Tall buildings and structures in London | UEFA European championship stadiums | Visitor attractions in London