Millennium Stadium
Welsh rugby union team
- Rugby Union Weltmeisterschaft1999, 2007, 2015
- Olympic Games 2012
The Millennium Stadium ( Welsh: Stadiwm Mileniwm y ) in Cardiff is the national stadium of Wales. It can accommodate 74,500 spectators and is preferably used for rugby and football. At the time of its opening in 1999 it was the largest stadium in the United Kingdom now have the Old Trafford in Manchester and Twickenham Stadium, Wembley Stadium and the Olympic Stadium in London a greater capacity. Owner is the Millennium Stadium plc, a subsidiary of the Welsh Rugby Union ( WRU ).
History
On the site of today's Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Arms Park, were formerly two stages, which opened in 1969, the National Stadium for games of rugby and soccer teams and a smaller stadium from 1881 for home games of the Cardiff RFC. 1995 Wales won the bid to host the Rugby Union World Cup in 1999. The newer National Stadium was demolished in 1997 because it could not be expanded, and access was very limited.
The Millennium Stadium subsequently was indeed on the same site, but offset by 90 °, for which some south adjacent office building had to be demolished. The construction costs amounted to 126 million pounds. The National Lottery took over 46 million, the rest was covered with bonds and loans. The opening match was held on 26 June 1999, a friendly match between the national rugby union teams of Wales and South Africa. Wales won 29 to 19, the first victory, the team could ever achieve on South Africa. During the Rugby Union World Cup in 1999 seven matches were played at the Millennium Stadium, including the final.
Equipment
The stadium has 74,500 covered seats and was the second in Europe a roof that can be tightened if necessary within 20 minutes ( currently the second largest stadium in the world with such equipment). It was built around four 93 meter high masts that make the stadium becoming the second highest building in Wales. According to the classification of the UEFA Stadium The Millennium Stadium is one of 27 five-star stadiums in Europe.
Use
Rugby Union
The Millennium Stadium is the home of the Welsh rugby union team, which since 1999 discharges all home games here. These include in particular the games in the tournament Six Nations and the November internationals against teams from the southern hemisphere. Occasionally, the stadium comes with a large audience interested also in championship matches of the Cardiff Blues as well as in encounters in the European cup competition in the Heineken Cup and Anglo-Welsh Cup competition EDF Energy Cup used. Two -finals of the Heineken Cup were held here, namely 2002 and 2006; In 2008, Cardiff was once again Final venue. In addition, three group games and a semifinal of the Rugby Union World Cup took place in 2007. Two quarter-finals and several group stage matches in the Rugby Union World Cup 2015 will be played at the Millennium Stadium.
Rugby League
So far, the Millennium Stadium was the venue of three finals of the European Cup Challenge Cup competition. 2007 was first held Millennium Magic. These are two -day event in May, when here a whole game round of Super League with teams from England and France will be held (three games on Saturday and Sunday).
Football
Since 2000, the Welsh national football team carries out most of its home games at the Millennium Stadium, besides a few games in the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham. As Wembley Stadium was built, here from 2001 to 2006 numerous playoffs the English football competitions were held, as the Millennium Stadium during this period was by far the largest stadium in the country. These include the finals of the FA Cup, the League Cup, Football League Trophy and the FA Community Shield and the Promotion play-off finals of the Football League. During the 2012 Olympic Games were held here eight preliminary round games, two quarter-finals as well as the small final of the men of the Olympic football tournament. The stadium was, instead of the opening game of the Olympic Fußalltunieres of women, seen sporting first moment of the 2012 Olympic Games. The game won by the team of Great Britain 1-0.
Motorsport
Since 2001 is here every year Speedway Grand Prix. 2007 followed more than 41,000 spectators, the race, which means record for a British speedway race. In September 2005, was ever held for the first time a rally race in a hall, in the context of belonging to the World Cup Rally Wales. The lowest levels of the auditorium area were removed to a create a circuit in the form of eight. In addition, the Millennium Stadium is the host of numerous British rally and motocross racing.
Filming
Several times, the stadium has been used as the backdrop for movie and television productions. Dalek, a series of science-fiction series Doctor Who the BBC, was formed in October and November 2004 largely here, the underground areas represent a base in Utah in 2012. Also, The Christmas Invasion, another Doctor Who series, was filmed in the basement area of the stadium. Furthermore, play individual scenes of the Bollywood film In good times and in difficult days ( Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham ) at the Millennium Stadium.
The scene shown in the movie 28 Weeks Later, in the Flynn children entrains with the helicopter, was not, as shown in the film, shot in the newly built Wembley Stadium, but at the Millennium Stadium.
Concerts
In addition to other sports competitions like boxing and cricket matches will be at the Millennium Stadium regularly hosts concerts of various genres. The most famous concert gave the Manic Street Preachers on the eve of the millennium, followed by a presentation of the BBC Choir on the following New Year's Day 2000. End of January 2005 there was for the tsunami victims in Asia Charity Concert. Among the rock and pop stars who appeared here include Madonna, Robbie Williams, U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Rolling Stones and Bon Jovi.