Olimpiysky National Sports Complex

"Olimpiyskiy" redirects here. For Olimpiyskiy in Moscow, see Olympic Stadium (Moscow arena). For Olimpiyskiy in Donetsk, see RSC Olimpiyskiy.

Olimpiysky Stadium
The Olympic Stadium after reconstruction for Euro 2012 UEFA Category 4 Stadium
Former names	see Previous names
Location	Kiev, Ukraine
Coordinates	50°26′0.38″N 30°31′19.61″E / 50.4334389°N 30.5221139°E / 50.4334389; 30.5221139Coordinates: 50°26′0.38″N 30°31′19.61″E / 50.4334389°N 30.5221139°E / 50.4334389; 30.5221139
Opened	12 August 1923
Renovated	1941, 1999, 2011
Expanded	1966, 1978
Owner	Concern «Sports Arenas of Ukraine» [1]
Surface	Grass
Construction cost	$500-550 million[2]
Architect	L.V.Pilvinsky (1923) Mykhailo Hrechyna (1936-41) GMP (Germany) (2008-2011)
General Contractor	Kyivmiskbud[3]
Capacity	70,050 (football)
Field dimensions	105m by 68m
Website	Official website

The Olympic National Sports Complex (also known as Olympic Stadium, Republican Stadium or Central Stadium; Ukrainian: Національний спортивний комплекс "Олімпійський", Natsional’nyĭ sportyvnyĭ kompleks "Olimpiys'kyĭ") is a multi-use sports facility in Kiev, Ukraine, located on the slopes of city's central Cherepanov Hill, Pechersk Raion. The stadium is the premier sports venue of Ukraine and one of the world's largest. The complex also features several other sports facilities and designed to host Olympic games. The stadium is expected to host the final match of Euro 2012.

Previous names

For most of its history the stadium was known as the Republican stadium.

• 1923 - Red Stadium of Trotsky
• 1924-1935 - Red Stadium
• 1936-1938 - Republican Stadium of Kosior
• 1938-1941 - Republican Stadium (capacity 50,000)
• 1941 - Republican Stadium of Khrushchev
• 1941-1943 - All-Ukrainian Stadium
• 1944-1962 - Republican Stadium of Khrushchev
• 1962-1979 - Central Stadium (capacity 100,000 in 1967)
• 1980-1995 - Republican Stadium
• 1996–present - Olympic NSC^[4] (capacity 83,450 in 1999; 70,050 in 2011)

Overview

See also: History of the Olimpiysky National Sports Complex

After Ukrainian independence in 1991, the stadium was given national status in 1996 and renamed again as the "Olympic" National Sports Complex. Kievans still commonly refer to it as the Tsentralny (Central) or Respublykanskyi stadion (Republican Stadium), and the nearby metro station "Olimpiiska" that was also called "Respublykanskyi Stadion".

In 1997–99 the stadium was reconstructed again in accordance with FIFA guidelines, and its capacity was reduced to 83,450. The stadium continued to be the home ground of Dynamo with the Lobanovsky stadium serving as a training ground. Sometime after 1998 big changes took place as the stadium was not efficient to be kept and maintained. Dynamo decided to reconstruct its Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium as its primary ground because the attendance rarely exceeded 10,000 spectators. Since that time Olympic was used primarily for football international matches and was being lent to FC Dynamo Kyiv for high-profile home games when a high turnout is expected. However, it is not the official home ground of Dynamo or any other Kiev club, as they all have smaller home stadiums and training bases. The stadium is an official home ground of the Ukraine national football team and was the official venue of the Ukrainian Cup final until 2008. Since 2008 Olympic was under a major reconstruction in preparation to the continental championship.

UEFA EURO 2012

July 2010

On 18 April 2007, Poland and Ukraine were chosen to co-host Euro 2012, the finals of the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship,^[5] with the Olympic set to host the final.^[6] The reconstruction of the stadium involves the demolition and rebuilding of the lower tier, a completely new west stand with a two-level press box (or luxury boxes) between the two tiers, the addition of a 13-story high rise building to the west, and the addition of a new roof covering the entire seating area. The capacity of the stadium after this reconstruction will be almost 70,000.^[4]

On 1 December 2008, reconstruction began when a winner of countless^{[clarification needed]} tenders held was announced. It is expected to be finished in 2011 with a capacity of 70,050.^[7] The stadium was officially opened by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on October 8, 2011.^[8]

Transportation

The stadium is located right in the center of Kiev city on the right bank of Dnieper river. The stadium could be approached mainly by either Chervonoarmiyis'ka vulytsya (Red Army Street) or bulvar Lesi Ukrayinky (Lesya Ukrainka Boulevard). Both streets southern ends connect to the European Route E95 which is known at that part of the city as bulvar Druzhby Narodiv (Friendship of Nations Boulevard). However the main arena of the complex does not have a direct access to the mentioned streets and could only be reached through several smaller streets such as vulytsya Fizkultury, vulytsya Saksahanskoho, vulytsya Shota Rustavelli, vulytsya Esplanadna, and perevulok Hospitalny. The main bridge that connects Kiev with Boryspil is the Pivdennyi Bridge which supports both an automobile as well as a subway traffic.

"Palats sportu" subway station

Kiev Metro

There are couple of subway stations within a walking distance: "Olimpiiska" (~300 metres (0.19 mi)) and "Palats Sportu" (~400 metres (0.25 mi)). Currently there is no direct subway connection with the Boryspil Airport. The closest to the airport subway station "Boryspilska" is about 18.5 kilometres (11.5 mi) away. In December 2010 Kyiv (Kiev) City State Administration renamed the subway station "Respublikansky Stadion" into "Olimpiiska".^[9]

Boryspil International Airport

The airport could be reached by the newly built Kiev - Boryspil Highway (see Roads in Ukraine for more info) which west of Kharkivska ploshcha (Kharkiv Square) is called prospekt Mykoly Bazhana (Mykola Bazhan avenue). The street is, however, adopted to a highway several interchanges along the way. After crossing the Dnieper river the highway is called vulytsya Promyslova (Industrial Street).

Water transportation

There is a river port right in the center of the city, known as the Kiev River Terminal. There is a substation Poshtova ploshcha which is part of the Kurenivsko-Chervonoarmiyska Line of Kiev Metro and, through which, it is connected with the "Olimpiiska" station.

Landmarks

• Cherepanov Hill
• National University of Physical Education and Sport
• Hotels: "Rus", "Sport" "President-hotel Kyivsky"

Web cameras

Top view Side view

See also

• Kiev Metro

References

1. ^ Sporting Arenas of Ukraine concern created (ukraine2012.gov.ua, 14 july 2011)
2. ^ Cost of the stadium reconstruction was explained by the Vice-Prime Minister and chairman of the government supporting program Euro-2012 (Borys Kolesnikov)
3. ^ Kyivmiskbud's owner is Pechersk Raion State Administration of Kiev city (http://www.smida.gov.ua/reestr/?kod=23527052).
4. ^ ^{a b} History of the stadium
5. ^ Poland and Ukraine host Euro 2012 – BBC News, 18 April 2007 Accessed: 28 August 2007
6. ^ Ukraine Government Portal 25 June 2007 Accessed: 28 August 2007
7. ^ "Press Kit: Logo and Slogan unveiling". UEFA. 14 December 2009. http://www1.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/EuroExperience/competitions/Publications/01/45/92/81/1459281_DOWNLOAD.pdf. 
8. ^ "Kyiv opens host stadium for Euro 2012 final". Kyiv Post. 9 October 2011. http://www.kyivpost.com/news/city/detail/114397/. 
9. ^ In Kyiv a subway station was dedicated to "Olimpiysky".

External links

• Journal of reconstruction «Olympic» NSC
• Fairytales about logotypes of «Olympic» NSC
• (Ukrainian) Financial overview of construction (article)
• (Russian) Location of the stadium on the META maps

Events and tenants
Preceded by Ernst Happel Stadion Vienna	UEFA European Football Championship Final Venue 2012	Succeeded by Stade de France Paris