Feijenoord Stadion

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Stadion Feijenoord


UEFA
fullname = Stadion Feijenoord
nickname = de Kuip
location = Rotterdam, Netherlands
built = 1935-1937
opened = 1937
seating_capacity = 51,577
tenants = Feyenoord (Eredivisie)
KNVB
dimensions =

The Feijenoord Stadion, better known by its nickname "de Kuip" (the Tub), is a stadium in Rotterdam, Netherlands that was completed in 1937. The name is derived from the area "Feijenoord" in Rotterdam, and from the club with the same name.

Capacity at completion: 64,000. Maximum capacity: 69,000 (1949). Present day capacity: 51,577.

It is the home stadium of football club Feyenoord, one of the traditional top teams in the Netherlands. It has also long been one of the home grounds of the Dutch national team, having hosted over 150 international matches, with the first one being a match against Belgium on 2 May 1937. Also, a record number of ten European finals has taken place in the Feijenoord stadium. The last one was the 2002 UEFA Cup final in which Feyenoord defeated Borussia Dortmund 3-2.

In 2000, the Feijenoord stadium hosted the final of Euro 2000, played in the Netherlands and Belgium, with France beating Italy in extra time. [http://www.vasf.nl/historie.php Stadion Feijenoord - historie] , vasf.nl]

History

Leen van Zandvliet, Feyenoord's president in the 1930s came up with the idea of building an entirely new stadium, unlike any other on the continent, with two free hanging tiers and no obstacles blocking the view. The great examples at that time were Highbury, where the West and East stands had been recently built as a double deck, and Yankee Stadium in New York City.
Johannes Brinkman and Leendert van der Vlugt, the famous designers of the van Nelle factories in Rotterdam were asked to design a stadium out of glass, concrete and steel, cheap materials at that time. They came up with a design that is modern even in this era. In fact, "de Kuip" acted as an example for many of the greatest stadia we know today, eg Nou Camp. The stadium was co-financed by the billionaire Daniël George van Beuningen, who made his fortune in World War I, exporting coal from Germany to England through neutral Netherlands.

In World War II, the stadium nearly got torn down, because the German occupiers needed the materials. Fortunately it didn't come to that. After the war the stadium got extra seats (1949) and stadium lights (1958).

On 29 October 1991 De Kuip was named as being one of Rotterdam's monuments. [http://www.vasf.nl/historie.php Stadion Feijenoord - historie] , vasf.nl] . In 1994 the stadium was extensively renovated to its present form. [http://www.vasf.nl/historie.php Stadion Feijenoord - historie] , vasf.nl] It became an all seater and the roof was extended to cover all the seats. An extra building was constructed for commercial use by Feyenoord, it also houses a restaurant and a museum, "The Home of History". [ [http://www.stadionfeijenoord.nl/pagecongres.php?id=196&l=6&i=4 Home of History] , stadionfeijenoord.nl]

The stadium has hosted concerts since 1978. The first ones were Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. [http://www.vasf.nl/historie.php Stadion Feijenoord - historie] , vasf.nl] Others who have played there include Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, U2, Michael Jackson, David Bowie, Dido, Guns N' Roses, Genesis and Dire Straits. Since 1996 the stadium didn't host many concerts anymore, because of the competition of the Amsterdam ArenA.As of January 2007 the stadium can be found in 3D format on Google Earth. [ [http://www.feyenoord.nl/pages/newsdetail/s1/10010000029585-999-10010000000003.aspx Feyenoord zet De Kuip op de kaart in Google Earth] , feyenoord.nl]

Facilities and related buildings

Adjacent to De Kuip inside the Maasgebouw (Maas building) is a restaurant, Brasserie “de Cuyperij”, which a sporty decoration combined with a cosy atmosphere. [http://www.zibb.nl/horeca/artikel_start/asp/artnr/905510/index.html Brasserie de Cuyperij] , zibb.nl] The brasserie can host 180 customers during dinner times and 300 customers for business meetings. The brasserie is closed when Feyenoord plays at home. [http://www.zibb.nl/horeca/artikel_start/asp/artnr/905510/index.html Brasserie de Cuyperij] , zibb.nl] A visit to the brasserie is often combined with a stadium tour in De Kuip, or a visit during a Feyenoord training. [ [http://www.stadionfeijenoord.nl/pagestadion.php?id=5&l=3&i=1 Luncht u vandaag ook in De Kuip?] , stadionfeijenoord.nl]

Next to De Kuip and Feyenoord's training ground there is another, but smaller sports arena, the Topsportcentrum Rotterdam. This arena hosts events in many sports and in various levels of competition. Some examples of sports that can be seen in the topsportcentrum are judo, volleyball and handball. [ [http://www.topsportcentrum.nl/ Topsportcentrum Rotterdam] , topsportcentrum.nl]

De Nieuwe Kuip

A new stadium for Feyenoord is currently being designed. Already nicknamed 'De Nieuwe Kuip', it will be located a few hundred meters from the current Feijenoord Stadion, at Sportpark Varkenoord. Feyenoord officials have expressed a desire for the new stadium to have a similar atmosphere as the current one. The projected capacity will be around 80.000. The new stadium must be completed in 2016, right in time for the 2018 World Cup, and could possibly also be Rotterdam's main weapon in a bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics. A definitive design is expected in the following years.

ee also

*List of stadiums
*Feyenoord
*UEFA

References

External links

* [http://www.ict4us.com/markant/googlemaps-kuip.htm Aerial photo (Google Maps)]
* [http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=bbef159963f058f76f108db943926730 3D format on Google Earth]