Football Stadiums of Istanbul

Turks are one of the nations that are fond ofreconstruction, when the stadium will nearly
football. They try not to miss any match of theircompletely be pulled down, and a new stadium, with
favorite teams, and are avid fans. It is by no means42,000 seats and transparent slip roof, will be built.
surprising, that in Istanbul there are many stadiums,Only one grandstand will be restored and preserved -
and the majority of them correspond to theEski Acik - for it is considered the architectural
standards of the IOC. The most famous stadiums ofmonument. In addition, architects plan to build near
Istanbul are Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Fenerbahcethe stadium a 5 star hotel, congress-center, shopping
Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, Besiktas Inonu Stadium, andcenter, and parking area.
Ali Sami Yen Stadium.This stadium is the host field of the Besiktas football
Besiktas Inonu Stadiumteam, but other clubs as Galatasaray and Fenerbahce
The project of this stadium was elaborated by anplayed here. However, it remains a place, where
Italian architect Paolo Vietti Violi. It was opened inBlack Eagles (an unofficial name of Besiktas players)
Besiktas district in 1947, and had 16,000 seats. Thendefeated the teams of Barcelona, Liverpool, Milan,
its name was the Mithat-pasha (the drafter of theand Paris Saint Germain.
first Turkish Constitution) stadium, and Ismet Inonu,Ali Sami Yen Stadium
the follower of Ataturk and the second presdient ofThis stadium, which hosts Galatasaray football club,
the Turkish Republic participated at the openingwas opened in 1964. It was named after the founder
ceremony. In 1973 the stadium got its new name inof this team and their first president Ali Sami Yen,
honor of Ismet Inonu, and till nowadays it is calledwho later became the President of the National
Besiktas Inonu Stadium.Olympic Committee of Turkey. Now the stadium has
The place of the construction is very convenient: theonly 23,785 seats, and their matches of the European
stadium was built on the spot of the DolmabahceTournaments Galatasaray holds in the Ataturk
palace stables, near the Bosporus. It is, probably, theOlympic Stadium. However, Ali Sami Yen Stadium
only football stadium, where the two parts of theremains a place, where Galatasaray won Barcelona,
world - Europe and Asia - are seen from. In addition,Real, Manchester United, Fenerbahce, and Besiktas.
magnificent views of the Dolmabahce palace andThe unofficial name of Galatasaray players is Lions,
mosque, and the Bosporus open from the upperand their fans name the stadium Cennehem (hell).
grandstands of the stadium. After beingNowadays, Galatasaray meet their opponents with
reconstructed in 2004 according to the standards ofthe motto Cennehem Hosgeldiniz, meaning Welcome
the UEFA, the stadium got the highest category Elite.To The Hell.
In the nearest future there will be another