Hohe Warte Stadium facts for kids
 Panoramic view of the stadium
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| Location | Heiligenstadt, Döbling, Vienna, Austria |
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| Owner | City of Vienna |
| Capacity | 5,500 (formerly 85,000) |
| Field size | 100m x 64m |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 19 June 1921 |
| Renovated | 2006 |
| Architect | Eduard Schönecker |
| Tenants | |
| First Vienna FC (1921–present) First Vienna FC (women) Vienna Vikings (1993–2015, 2017–2021) Austria national rugby union team (sporadic, 1992–2016) Austria national football team (1920–1939) |
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The Hohe Warte Stadium is a famous sports ground in Vienna, Austria. It sits on a hill called Hohe Warte in a northern part of the city. This stadium is mostly used for football games and is the home field for the First Vienna FC team. It has also hosted rugby union matches and American Football games for the Vienna Vikings.
Contents
A Look Back: Stadium History
The Hohe Warte Stadium first opened its doors on June 19, 1921. Back then, many people thought it was the best and biggest sports place in all of Europe!
Early Days and Big Crowds
In the 1920s and 1930s, the Austrian national football team played many exciting games here. One match in 1923 against Italy brought in a record crowd of 85,000 people! Imagine how loud that must have been!
More Than Just Sports
The stadium wasn't just for sports. It also hosted other cool events. For example, there were boxing matches. It even held outdoor opera shows, like Aida in 1924, which 20,000 people came to see. After World War II, it sometimes turned into a giant outdoor movie theater.
Changes Over Time
In 1931, a new stadium called the Praterstadion (now the Ernst-Happel-Stadion) was built. This new stadium became Austria's main sports venue. However, the Hohe Warte Stadium still saw big crowds. This was thanks to the success of the First Vienna FC team in the 1940s and 1950s.
What the Stadium Looks Like
The stadium is built into the side of a hill. This makes it feel like a natural outdoor theater. Three sides of the stadium have grassy slopes where people used to sit, instead of concrete stands. This gives the stadium a very green and natural look.
Modern Updates and Capacity
Today, only one side of the stadium has a modern main stand. Safety rules mean that the grassy slopes can no longer be used for seating. Because of this, the stadium's capacity has been 5,500 people since the 2005–06 season. Even with the smaller official capacity, many people still enjoy watching games from outside the stadium!
