Gerhard-Hanappi-stadium facts for kids
| Sankt Hanappi (Saint Hanappi) | |
 |
|
| Former names | Weststadion |
|---|---|
| Location | Vienna, Austria |
| Owner | City of Vienna |
| Capacity | 18.442 |
| Field size | 105 x 68 m |
| Surface | lawn |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1971 - 1977 |
| Opened | May 10th, 1977 (SK Rapid vs. Austria Wien 1:0) |
| Renovated | 2001 |
| Architect | Gerhard Hanappi |
| Tenants | |
| SK Rapid Wien | |
The Gerhard Hanappi Stadium was a famous football stadium located in Vienna, Austria. It was the home field for the football team SK Rapid Wien. The stadium was named after Gerhard Hanappi, who was not only a great player for Rapid Wien but also the architect who designed the stadium!
Contents
A Look Back: Stadium History
Building the Weststadion
Work on the stadium began in 1971. It took a few years to finish, partly because the original plans were changed to make it cheaper. When it first opened, the stadium was called "Weststadion," which means "Western Stadium." This name made sense because it was located in the western part of Vienna.
A Home for Rapid Wien
The idea was for Vienna's two biggest football clubs to share this new stadium. However, one of the clubs, Austria Wien, wasn't happy about their rival, SK Rapid Wien, having a stadium in their own area. So, Austria Wien decided to go back to their old home, the Franz Horr Stadium. Still, until 1992, Austria Wien often played at the Weststadion. This was because their own stadium wasn't approved for international matches.
Renamed for a Legend
In April 1981, the stadium was renamed. It received the name of its architect, Gerhard Hanappi, who was a beloved player for Rapid Wien.
First Games and Fan Love
The very first football match played here was a league game between SK Rapid Wien and Austria Wien. The official opening happened on September 14, 1977. This was a UEFA-Cup match where Rapid played against FK Inter Bratislava and won 1-0. At first, fans weren't completely in love with the new stadium. But over time, they grew to accept it. It even earned the nickname "Saint Hanappi," showing how much the fans loved it, especially with their slogan, "Rapid is our religion."
Exciting Matches at Hanappi Stadium
The Gerhard Hanappi Stadium hosted many important football games over the years.
Austrian Cup Finals
The stadium was often chosen to host the final matches of the Austrian Cup, known as the ÖFB-Cup.
- 1977: FK Austria Wien defeated Wiener Sport-Club 3-0.
- 1983: SK Rapid Wien won against Wacker Innsbruck 3-0.
- 1984: SK Rapid Wien beat FK Austria Wien 2-0.
- 1985: SK Rapid Wien and FK Austria Wien tied 3-3, with Rapid winning 6-5 in a penalty shootout.
- 1986: FK Austria Wien won against SK Rapid Wien 6-4 after extra time.
- 1987: SK Rapid Wien defeated FC Swarovski Tirol 2-0.
- 1998: SV Ried won against SK Sturm Graz 3-1.
- 2007: FK Austria Wien beat SV Mattersburg 2-1.
Austrian Supercup Matches
The Supercup is a match played between the league champions and the cup winners.
- 1986: SK Rapid Wien defeated FK Austria Wien 3-1.
- 1987: SK Rapid Wien won against FC Swarovski Tirol 2-1.
International Football Games
Many international club matches were played at the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium. Until 1992, FK Austria Wien also had to play their international matches here.
- 1984: SK Rapid Wien beat Celtic Glasgow 3-1.
- 1985: FK Austria Wien tied with FC Liverpool 1-1.
- 1985: SK Rapid Wien won against Dynamo Dresden 5-0.
- 1985: FK Austria Wien tied with FC Bayern München 3-3.
- 1986: SK Rapid Wien defeated FC Brügge 4-3.
- 1989: SK Rapid Wien won against FC Aberdeen 1-0.
- 1989: SK Rapid Wien beat FC Brügge 4-3.
- 1989: SK Rapid Wien won against FC Lüttich 1-0.
- 1990: SK Rapid Wien defeated Inter Mailand 2-1.
- 1992: FK Austria Wien beat FC Brügge 3-1.
- 1997: SK Rapid Wien won against 1. FC Brünn 6-1.
- 2000: FK Roter Stern Belgrad defeated Leicester City 3-1.
- 2001: SK Rapid Wien won against FK Partizan Belgrad 5-1.
- 2005: SK Rapid Wien tied with Lokomotive Moskau 1-1.
- 2009: SK Rapid Wien beat Aston Villa 1-0.
- 2010: SK Rapid Wien tied with Aston Villa 1-1.
