🏟️ 10 most impressive sports arenas in the world
Sports arenas and stadiums sometimes captivate fans more than the competitions themselves. The unique shape, unique design and special location turn sports fields into tourist attractions. That's why we've put together for you a selection of the most impressive and original sports venues from around the world.
Olympic Stadium (Beijing, China)
The Beijing National Stadium was built to host the 2008 Summer Olympics. This building has been considered one of the main attractions of the Chinese capital for many years. A special feature of the arena is the absence of walls. They are replaced by steel threads that envelop the façade of the stadium.
The appearance of the object resembles the nests of swiftlets. By the way, they are considered a delicacy of national cuisine and an extremely unusual soup is prepared from them. Yes, yes, we are not talking about birds. Locals even gave the stadium a popular name – “Bird's Nest”. In addition to the dish, the name connotes value, uniqueness and unusualness – qualities that are respected in the country.
The arena was used twice: first during the 2008 Summer Olympics, then during the 2022 Winter Olympics. Its perfectly round shape allows you to watch the competition equally comfortably from any place. Both sports fans and ordinary tourists should see the Bird's Nest.
Tennis court at Burj Al Arab (Dubai, UAE)
The highest tennis court in the world is not at the top of a mountain. It is located in a tower whose height is 331 meters. The Burj Al Arab Tower Hotel offers its visitors a luxurious stay and a game of tennis overlooking the famous Al Muntaha Restaurant.
The tennis court is designed in the shape of a circle instead of the standard rectangle. And this is no coincidence. Primarily, the court is used as a helipad for hotel visitors, but this does not prevent the territory from being easily transformed into a sports stadium.
By the way, in 2005, famous tennis players Roger Federer and Andre Agassi played several sets here and left their mark on the history of the court. Each player is guaranteed safety due to the deep wire mesh, which will protect against falls. The main thing is not to look down and take more balls with you. It will no longer be possible to retrieve a ball that has left the court.
Montreal Olympic Stadium (Montreal, Canada)
The Olympic Stadium in Montreal appeared at the start of the 1976 Winter Olympics. Canadians call this arena the “Big O”. This name arose from the round shape of the building and its Olympic history. The tower that rises above the stadium is the tallest leaning tower in the world. Its height is 175 meters.
And maintaining such a complex is extremely expensive. The city authorities allocate a significant part of the budget for its maintenance. In 1976, the Quebec government even introduced a “tobacco tax” to help recoup the costs of the stadium. Until 2006, 8% of revenues from cigarette sales were invested in the stadium.
Today, baseball and football, gymnastics and track and field competitions are regularly held here, but it is not athletes who set the attendance record. In 1977, Pink Floyd attracted 78,322 people to their concert. Who is ready to take aim at this achievement in the coming years?
Floating platform Marina Bay (Singapore)
The stadium was built in 2007. It became a temporary replacement for the Singapore National Stadium during its renovation. The site is located on the water, and the spectator seats are on land. The stands can accommodate up to 30 thousand people.
It was not by chance that the stadium was built on water: it saves land and natural resources. And Singapore is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, where the “land” issue is one of the most pressing.
The arena hosted the closing and opening ceremonies of the 2010 Summer Youth Olympic Games, and the stands are used annually during the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.
We also recommend that you pay attention to: How to see insanely expensive Singapore for free
Eidi Stadium (Eidi, Faroe Islands)
A football stadium in a town of 700 people? Yes, yes, this is possible in the Faroe Islands. The capacity of the stadium allows every resident of a small town to take a seat in the stands.
The arena is set among rolling hills and picturesque residential buildings where everyone can support the local EB/Straymoor community . We don’t know what attracts spectators more: a football match or the views of the ocean and mountains that open from the stands.
Avicii Arena (Stockholm, Sweden)
The arena was built in 1989 to host the World Hockey Championships. After the first world forum, the stadium hosted two more championships and three World Cups in hockey, world and continental championships in figure skating, volleyball, handball and basketball.
The stadium stands out thanks to its special shape. It is built in the form of a sphere and symbolizes the Sun in the Swedish solar system. “Avicii Arena” received its name in 2021 in memory of the deceased musician and producer Avicii. Before this, the arena was called “Erickson Globe” for several years.
It was here that the Swedish national ice hockey team became world champions in 2013, and where human rights activist Nelson Mandela gave a speech in 1990. The arena also hosted the Eurovision final twice. Today, Stockholm is almost impossible to imagine without the dome of the Avici Arena, from the top of which the best views of the city open.
Basketball court Pigalle Duperret (Paris, France)
This small basketball court is one of the most striking places in Paris. It is built between two residential buildings and literally fills the space between them. The size of the field does not meet the established standards, but everyone can play here and shoot a few balls into the basket.
The site appeared on the site of a former parking lot. It was created in 2009 by the founder of the Pigalle brand, Stefan Ashpool. In his project he wanted to reflect the connection between sports, art and culture.
The color scheme of the site changes every few years to match the city's aesthetics. Over the years, the design of the stadium has been inspired by famous personalities, fashion collections, gradient, video games and the work of Kazimir Malevich.
The project became so popular that Stefan Ashpool, in collaboration with Nike, opened another field in Beijing and two in Mexico City, which are not inferior in brightness and uniqueness to the Paris site.
Climbing center Rock Gym (Mazandaran, Iran)
When creating this center, the architects were guided by the Damavand stratovolcano – the second highest peak in Asia and the first in the Middle East. By the way, more and more climbers are striving to conquer this peak.
The creators were inspired to build the complex by the process of movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates. As a result, the design of the site reflects the connection between artificial life and nature. The sports center is built in the shape of a block, which changes due to the movement of the plates. And the white color in the design refers to the snow-capped peak of Damavand peak.
The training area resembles natural boulders to bring climbers closer to the atmosphere of mountain climbing. In addition to the training ground, inside the complex there are gyms, accommodation and technical facilities.
Tennis court in Il San Pietro di Positano (Positano, Italy)
This tennis court is for the exclusive use of guests of the Hotel Il San Pietro di Positano. Believe me, a match at this venue is worth a few days' stay on the Amalfi Coast.
The court is located among Italian rocks, cliffs and sharp drop-offs. The location of the sports ground in the mountains gives all visitors unparalleled views of the Mediterranean Sea.
The standard dimensions of the court allow visitors to play tennis without restrictions. Famous athletes appreciated this tennis court. For example, tennis legend Maria Sharapova not only played there, but also repeatedly admitted her desire to return there again.
Golf Club Tornio (Sweden, Finland)
Golf Club “Tornio” is a sports course with 18 holes of play. The peculiarity of the complex is not in its form, Olympic history or name. What makes the club unique is its location: it is located in Sweden and Finland at the same time.
The border between them runs along the Tornio River. It divides not only states, but also time zones. So golfers can play a round not only in two countries at a time, but also in different time zones.
