Lehener Stadion facts for kids
| Full name | Lehener Stadion |
|---|---|
| Location | Salzburg, Austria |
| Capacity | 15 000, later 18 000 |
| Surface | lawn |
| Construction | |
| Built | October 1969 till 1971 |
| Opened | 18 September 1971, SV Austria Salzburg vs Tunesia 3:2 |
| Renovated | 1992/93 |
| Closed | 2002 |
| Demolished | 2006 |
| Architect | Hanns Wiser, Jakob Adlhart |
| Tenants | |
| SV Austria Salzburg | |
The Lehener Stadion was a football stadium in Salzburg, Austria. For many years, from 1971 to 2002, it was the home field for the football team SV Austria Salzburg. This team is now known as F.C. Red Bull Salzburg.
Contents
History of Lehener Stadion
When SV Austria Salzburg became a top-tier football team (they joined the league then called Nationalliga, which is now the Bundesliga), they needed a bigger and better stadium. In 1966, an architect named Hanns Wiser drew the first plans for the new stadium. It was designed to hold 15,000 people and have two covered seating areas.
The city of Salzburg decided in 1967 to build the stadium in an area called Lehen. They wanted it to hold 18,000 fans. This spot was already used as a football field. Hanns Wiser worked with another architect, Jakob Adlhart, to create a new plan. The stadium was built between 1969 and 1971. Because there wasn't a lot of money, one side of the stadium was built for standing fans. This helped keep costs down while still allowing 18,000 people to attend. The stadium's bright floodlights were turned on in 1974, after some initial issues with nearby residents.
Opening and Later Challenges
The Lehener Stadion officially opened on September 18, 1971. The first game was a friendly match between SV Austria Salzburg and the national team of Tunisia. SV Austria Salzburg won 3-2.
By the mid-1990s, the stadium became too small for international matches. European football rules (from UEFA) said it could only hold 5,300 fans for these big games. Because of this, SV Austria Salzburg had to play their international matches in Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadion.
There were plans to make the Lehener Stadion bigger. However, the city of Salzburg decided to build a brand new stadium in Wals-Siezenheim instead. This new stadium was needed because Salzburg was chosen to host games for the UEFA Euro 2008 football tournament. The very last match played at Lehener Stadion was on December 4, 2002, against SK Sturm Graz.
Demolition and New Plans
The Lehener Stadion was torn down in 2006. Today, part of the area where the stadium once stood is used by Salzburg's city library. There are also plans to build new homes in the area.
Memorable Matches at Lehener Stadion
The Lehener Stadion hosted nine matches for the Austrian national football team. One of the most famous games was on April 30, 1977. Austria played against Malta in a qualification match for the FIFA World Cup 1978. Austria won with a huge score of 9-0! In that game, a young player named Hans Krankl scored an amazing six goals.
SV Austria Salzburg also played many important games at their home stadium. For example, in the 1993/94 UEFA Cup, they beat Sporting Lisbon 3-0. They also played against Roter Stern Belgrad in the UEFA Cup in 1976.
Images for kids
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Stadion Lehen
