Sparta Stadion Het Kasteel
Encyclopedia
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. It is the home ground of Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....
. It has a capacity of 11,026.
History and layout
The stadium is located in the neighbourhood of SpangenSpangen
Spangen is a neighborhood of Rotterdam, Netherlands.It is in the west of the city with about 9500 inhabitants. From the entrance of Spangen to the center is formed by the Mathenesserbrug across the Delfshavense Schie....
, where it was built in 1916 as Stadion Spangen based on a plan of the architects J.H. de Roos and W.F. Overeynder.
The name "Het Kasteel" (The Castle) is derived from the small building with two small towers in the stadium, which looks similar to a castle. This building is the only authentical remain of the original design. It was built in 1916. The castle building, which is currently located along the length of the pitch, was originally positioned behind one of the goals.
1928 Olympic Games
For the 1928 Summer Olympics1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
in neighboring Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, the venue hosted two football
Football at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Football at the 1928 Summer Olympics tournament, won by Uruguay against Argentina, would be the precursor to the first FIFA World Cup held in 1930 in Uruguay.-Medalists:-Background:...
games. The first was on 5 June when host nation Netherlands
Netherlands at the 1928 Summer Olympics
The Netherlands was the host nation for the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. 264 competitors, 219 men and 45 women, took part in 103 events in 17 sports.- Gold:* Bep van Klaveren — Boxing, Featherweight...
defeated Belgium
Belgium at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Belgium competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 186 competitors took part in 90 events in 15 sports.- Bronze:*Léonard Steyaert — Boxing, Men's Middleweight...
3-1 while the second was three days later when the Dutch team tied Chile
Chile at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Chile competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 38 competitors took part in 22 events in 6 sports.-Medalists:-Boxing:Men's Flyweight * José Turra Riviera...
2-2.
Through the years, the stands of "Stadion Sparta" were often renovated and extended, but the most radical renovation took place in 1998 and 1999: the stadium was completely rebuilt according to a plan of the architects Zwarts & Jansma. During the renovation, the pitch was turned 90 degrees. At the same time, it was renamed ENECO-stadion, after its main sponsor. That name was soon replaced by the present Het Kasteel ("The Castle"), which had already been the popular nickname for the stadium ever since it was built.
The Castle was bought in November 2004 by businessman Hans van Heelsbergen, the manager of the textile company Hans Textiel and also the chairman of Sparta Rotterdam. Van Heelsbergen opened in this building a Sparta museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
(and an outlet of Hans Textiel).
Tonny van Ede Stand
The Tonny van Ede stand is on the north side of the ground and stands along the length of the pitch, opposite the Kasteel Stand. The most expensive tickets are to be found here. It houses the changing rooms as well as the corporate boxes, the ticket office and the boardroom. The players' tunnel runs from the centre of this stand onto the pitch between the two dugouts. The stand was named after one of Sparta's most famous sons, Tonny van EdeTonny van Ede
Tonny van Ede was a Dutch football player.-Club career:Van Ede was a product of the Sparta Rotterdam youth system, joining the club at 11 and making his senior debut in 1947. During the Second World War he was sent to work in Germany but fled to England...
, in 2010.
Denis Neville Stand
The lowest priced tickets for home fans are to be found in the Denis Neville Stand. This is at the east end of the ground behind one of the goals. It houses the more vocal supporters of the club and is usually the first stand to sell-out.The stand was named in honour of one of Sparta's most successful managers, Denis Neville
Denis Neville
Denis Charles Neville was an English football player and manager who managed the Dutch national side between 1964 and 1966...
.
Bok de Korver Stand
Opposite the Denis Neville Stand, the Bok de Korver Stand is assigned as the family stand but also houses the away fans. Formerly known as the West Stand, it was named after Sparta legend Bok de KorverBok de Korver
Johannes Marius de Korver was a football player from the Netherlands, who twice won a bronze medal with the Netherlands national football team at the Summer Olympics: in 1908 and in 1912 .De Korver played for Sparta Rotterdam between 1902 and 1923...
.
