If you’re in Brno,
and you have time, you MUST pay
a visit to the shrine that is the Stadion Za Lužánkami, before it’s rebuilt or demolished. The stadium holds a special place in Czech
football history, for it holds the record attendance for a football match in
the Czech Republic, 44,120, as recently as 1996-97. (In fact, according to Wikipedia, the top 10
crowds in Czech league football have all been here.) Even more remarkable when Brno have only won
the league once (back in 1977, when it was Czechoslovakia).
Outside of the main stand.
The stadium, however,
has been deserted since 2001, when it was deemed not up to standard.However, in 2015, a former Zbrojovka Brno captain,
Petr Svancara, organised a clean-up of the stadium for his testimonial, a last
hurrah.
My Czech mate (really!) had told
me years ago of Brno playing in front of massive crowds.How could this be, I wondered?Their stadium only holds 12,500…but that was
their ‘new’ stadium, about 10 minutes’ walk away.But, with the Stadion Za Lužánkami becoming more and more dilapidated, a
decision was imposed: the stadium was no longer safe and the team would have to
move out.(It’s hit attendances too;
when I saw Zbrojovka Brno…now in the second division…the attendance was 3,492.)
Vegetation taking over.
Following the testimonial, dilapidation continued.Windows are smashed and graffiti, both inside
and out, is rife.Entrances are
overgrown with vegetation and concrete crumbles, whether terracing or outer walls.Such a shame, for this is a magnificent
concrete bowl.Capacity of 50,000?It could EASILY fit 50,000 in, probably more.Three sides are a tall single tier terrace,
while the 4th (main) side has a second tier.No roof, but there’s at least bench seats on
this side.
Looking toward the main stand.
I caught a tram (P6) from the main station and walked the couple of blocks to
the stadium.Access into the stadium is
easy enough, as a couple of gates have been forced open or removed, nevermind
the holes cut into the fence.Be aware
though, some homeless have been known to sleep here, and there was certainly
someone rustling about the place last night (I’d come from the Brno
match).I’d had no knowledge of this
stadium till last night, which is why I’d made the decision to spend the
morning here rather than get an early train to Prague to see an early
kick-off.And in daylight I wouldn’t get
stung by so many nettles.
One of the entrances into the stadium.
Here, at 8am in the morning, the large entrance gates at the scoreboard end
were swung open; workmen were inside, preparing the track encircling the
pitch.Is there life in the old dog
yet?(Plans to rebuild the stadium to be
the biggest in the Czech Republic were renewed again in 2016.)The pitch itself was pristine.Rumour has it the youth team use it.
I look forward to seeing what happens.As it stands, it’s a living, breathing, testament to football stadia of
the past.Visit while you can.
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