Georgi Asparuhov Stadium

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Georgi Asparuhov Stadium
nickname = "Gerena"


location = "Suha Reka" quarter, Sofia
opened = 1963
owner = Sofia Municipality
operator = PFC Levski Sofia
surface = Grass (105 × 68 metres)
construction_cost = ?
capacity = 29,200
architect = Lazar Parashkevanov
former_names =

tenants =
Levski Sofia
seating_capacity =
29,800

Georgi Asparuhov is the stadium of the Bulgarian football club PFC Levski Sofia. It was built in the period 1960-1963 mostly with donations by the supporters, and initially had a capacity of 36,000 seats plus an unknown standing capacity. Record attendance is 60,000 people, achieved several times: on the 4th of March, 1970 against the Polish team of Górnik Zabrze in a Cup Winners Cup 1/4 final. Same attandance has been achieved in a championship game against PFC Pirin Blagoevgrad, which is the unofficial record attandance for the Bulgarian championship. However after modern seating was installed and terraces removed in 1999 the capacity has been reduced to 29,800 seats. It was officially inaugurated on 10th March 1963. At first the stadium was named "Levski", but was also known as "Gerena". In 1990 the stadium is named after Georgi Asparuhov, a legendary forward of the club who died in a car accident in 1971. The stadium is also known as "GERENA" among the fans; an old name of the place, before it became a part of the city. The stadium complex has the only training pitch with artificial flooring in Bulgaria. The size of the official pitch is 105m x 68m. In the period 1992-1998 it was being repaired, in which many fans of Levski Sofia took part. After that it was introduced on 5th May 1999.

Its last renovation was the new video scoreboard, put in a frame shaped in the Cyrillic letter "L"("Л"). It replaced the old video board, which was the first installed in a Bulgarian stadium. Underneath it stands the true logo of the club.

The stadium, although used and renovated by the club, is owned by the Municipality, which prevents the club from making big investments. See stadium [http://www.sedem-dva.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/gerena.gif]