The Great Strahov Stadium (Velký strahovský stadion in Czech) is a stadium in the Strahov district of Prague, Czech Republic. It was the largest stadium in the world and is the second largest sports facility worldwide after the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, seating around 220,000.
Construction began on a wooden stadium in 1926, and was replaced by concrete grandstands in 1932. Further construction occurred in 1948 and 1975. The playing field, surrounded by seating on all sides, is 63,500 square metres. Contemporarily the stadium serves to Sparta Prague as a training centre with 8 football pitches (6 pitches of standard sizes and 2 futsal pitches).
The stadium is sited on a prominent hill overlooking the old city. It can be accessed by taking the funicular up the hill through the gardens.
The original stadium dates from the First Republic between the World Wars and served as a venue for Sokol displays of synchronized gymnastics on a massive scale. It was later used for large displays during the communist era. Performances with several hundred gymnasts making various complex formations and exercising identically while accompanied by tunes from traditional folk music attracted the attention of many visitors. Each time, among the widely popular shows were those of young well-trained recruits who wore only boxer shorts while on the display or women dancing in miniskirts. The groups of gymnasts (unlike the soldiers who were ordered to practise and participate) were put together from keen local Sokol athletic association members who regularly trained for the show throughout the year prior to the event, which repeated every five years. The ambiguous name of the performance, Spartakiáda, referred to quondam power and strength of once uprising slaves led by Spartacus.
Now (except for Sparta Prague’s training ground) the stadium is used for holding huge concerts. Bands that have played there include Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, U2 and Genesis. On August 18, 1990, Strahov Stadium housed a Rolling Stones concert with more than 150,000 people in attendance, including president Václav Havel.
The future of the stadium looks at adaptive reuse and preservation of this unique structure. There are plans to convert the mammoth Strahov stadium complex into a commercial zone complete with hotels, restaurants and shops. Another suggestion is to turn the area into a leisure mecca for the 21st century. There are also plans to rebuild the area as an Olympic village if Prague wins a future olympic bid.
Location: Strahov, Prague, Czech Republic
Opened: 1926
Capacity: 220,000
Field dimensions: 9 football pitches
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CHARLES BRIDGE
As peaceful and romantic it may seem, the Vtlava (Moldau) River has not always been as calm as it looks today. It’s fury, combined with the power of heavy rains have many times flooded and destroyed the bridges people built over it. Charles Bridge is no exception. It has many times been the victim of floods and natural or human created calamities. Nevertheless, it is still standing and hopefully it will remain a symbol of Prague far after we are gone.
In the place that Charles Bridge is standing today once stood a wooden bridge, destroyed by floods in the 11thcentury. In its place, in 1172, Wenceslas I ordered the building of the Judith Bridge (after his wife’s name), the first stone bridge to connect the Vltava banks. The Judith Bridge collapsed in a flood in 1342.
The construction of the bridge as we can see it today dates from the reign of Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor. Legend has it that he had everything thought of up to the smallest detail. The oddest thing may seem the very date of its foundation: 5:31 am, 9. 07. 1357 (9th of June). Only odd digits (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) and what’s more, except 9 all prime numbers….. Another unusual thing is that it is said that egg yolks were used to strengthen the mortar used to bind the stone blocks. Although the saying cannot be verified, modern laboratory tests have indeed proved inorganic and organic ingredients in the mortar.
The construction of the magical bridge was started by Master Otto and continued by king Charles’ favourite constructor and architect, Peter Parler (he build also St Wenceslas Chapel in St Vitus Cathedral and The Old Town bridge tower). The bridge was finished in 1402 and until 1870 was called The Stone or Prague Bridge (Kamenny/Prazsky Most). Originally, the Stone Bridge was supposed to host medieval tournaments and serve as major commerce link between the Vltava banks.
The bridge is 516 meters long and nearly 10 m wide, resting on 16 arches shielded by ice guards. It is protected by three bridge towers, two of them on the Lesser Quarter side and the third one on the Old Town side.
The bridge is decorated with 30 statues and statuaries, most of them Baroque style, erected around 1700. Now the original statues are kept in the Lapidary, the statues on the Charles Bridge are replicas.
I WILL POST MORE SITES AND SOUNDS EACH DAY!!!!!
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