It was once the beating heart of sport and culture in the Czech capital of Prague, but nowadays, the Great Strahov Stadium looks a lot different. Originally built almost 100 years ago in 1926, the stadium had an astonishing capacity of 250,000 in its heyday.
The arena did serve as a venue for Sokol events – a type of Slavic gymnastics that was founded in the 1800s and gained popularity in Prague. In the Second World War, the Great Strahov Stadium was used as the venue for a military parade celebrating Adolf Hitler’s 50th birthday.
In the post-war period, it played host to Spartakiads (another form of gymnastics) and even held a World Championship speedway event in 1963. On the music front, over 100,000 people crammed into the stadium to watch The Rolling Stones in 1990, while a 1995 visit of Pope John Paul II garnered another hefty crowd. Other notable performers include the likes of Guns N’ Roses, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, U2 and AC/DC.
Following the turn of the millennium, things have been much different though. There was talk that it could be demolished, but following talks with the local authorities, a new plan for the complex was mustered up.
In collaboration with Sparta Prague, eight football pitches were built on the site and it now serves as a training centre for the Czech outfit. What’s more, Premier League side West Ham United used the facilities in the build-up to the 2023 Conference League final in the central European city. It worked a treat for the Hammers, given they defeated Fiorentina 2-1 to secure their first piece of silverware since 1981.
Despite its newfound use, there are still parts of the ground that remain abandoned and unused. While the grass is well kept on the training pitch, the gigantic concrete structures have been left to rot, with the terraces no longer safe for fans to stand in.
Sparta Prague aren’t expected to be its inhabitants forever, with suggestions that it could one day be turned into a hospitality paradise. Hotels, shops and restaurants have been mooted, but that could be stunted if plans to turn the Great Strahov Stadium into a heritage site get the green light.