Estádio da Luz (1954)

Estádio da Luz (1954)

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = Estádio da Luz
nickname = A Catedral


fullname = Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica
location = Lisbon, Portugal
built = 1953–1959
opened = 1 December 1954
renovated = 1960, 1985, 1991
closed = 22 March 2003
demolished = 2003
owner = Sport Lisboa e Benfica
operator =
surface = Grass
construction_cost = 12 million escudos (1954 values)
architect = João Simões
former_names = Estádio de Carnide
tenants = SL Benfica
seating_capacity = 120,000 (78,000 with individual seats)
dimensions =

Estádio da Luz was a multi-use stadium located in Lisbon, Portugal. It was used mostly for football matches and hosted the home matches of S.L. Benfica. The stadium was able to hold a maximum of 125,000 people and opened on December 1, 1954. Demolition started in 2002 so the current Estádio da Luz could be built.

Before the Stadium

Since the club's formation, in 1904, Benfica had always played in rented fields, such as Terras do Desembargador (1905–1906), the Campo da Feiteira (1908–1911), the Campo de Sete Rios (1913–1917), the Campo de Benfica (1917–1922), and the Estádio do Campo Grande, built on land rented from historic rivals Sporting Clube de Portugal (1941–1954).The Estádio das Amoreiras, a 20,000-capacity football stadium, belonged to the club, but was demolished to give way to a free-way (1925–1940). ["A Luz não se apaga", Prefácio, Prime Books, 2003 (ISBN 972-8820-07-0)] [Sport Lisboa e Benfica 100 gloriosos anos - A História 1, Edição e Conteúdos, S.A., 2003 (ISBN 989-554-099-X)]

After a long process of negotiation with the municipality of Lisbon, it was finally established, on May 17, 1946, that the club would leave the rented stadium and move back to the Benfica neighbourhood. At the end of the meeting where this was established, the then Minister of Public Works is quoted as saying: "Benfica is from Benfica and that's where it should return to" [Sport Lisboa e Benfica 100 gloriosos anos - A História 1, pp.84, Edição e Conteúdos, S.A., 2003 (ISBN 989-554-099-X)]

The construction years

An adequate terrain, with good accessibility and enough room for future expansion was identified, near the Igreja and Largo da Luz, in the north-east end of the Benfica neighbourhood. "Luz" was historically the parish of the Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Luz (Church of Our Lady of the Light). Being located in the limit between the Benfica and the Carnide neighbourhoods, though, the new stadium was at first known as "Estádio de Carnide".

It was always the objective of the club to own both the stadium and the terrains, though at first a lease was made on the municipal terrains, with a final buy-out occurring only in 1969. The plans for the sports complex had been sketched as early as the late 40's, by João Simões, a former player for the club.

Driven by the club's president, Joaquim Bogalho, the associates coped with an increased fee for supporting the building costs for the new stadium, offered large donations, and some went as far as to work themselves on the building yard on hollidays or week-ends. There was even a "cement campaign", where-by large quantities of cement bags were offered to the club...

The works officially started on June 14, 1953. Less than two years after, and at a cost of 12.037.638 escudos, on December 1st, 1954 (a national holiday), the 40,000 capacity-crowd filled the stadium for the inaugural match against rivals F.C. Porto.

Improvements

The stadium at first had a capacity of 40,000, on two continuous tiers, but continued success of Benfica during the 50s and, especially, the 60s (the "golden years"), capacity increase was deemed inevitable.

The first stage of the famous third tier ("Terceiro Anel") was concluded in 1960, and increased capacity to 70,000. Flood-lighting had been introduced two years before.

The third tier was completed in 1985, setting the official capacity for the stadium at 120,000. Since there were no individual seats until the mid 90s, this number was even surpassed on occasion. The January 4, 1987 championship match against rivals F.C. Porto, had an estimated attendance of 135,000, and the final of the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship, between Portugal and Brasil, had an official attendance of 127,000.

The introduction of individual seats in the mid 90s reduced the stadium's capacity to around 78,000.

The end

After the difficult period experienced in the 90s, both in results and financially, the club had to ponder how to cope with the successful bid the Portuguese Football Federation made on hosting the 2004 UEFA European Football Championship.

At first, it was suggested the old stadium could undergo renovation works, that included the covering of all the stands with a self-supporting roof. Two projects, by Arch. Tomás Taveira, were presented to the associates in a short period of time, but both were abandoned. At one time, it was sought that the club withdraw its stadium from the list of host stadia.

Finally, on September 28, 2001, a general assembly of the associates voted for the construction of the new stadium. This was by no means an easy decision, since the historic "Catedral" would have to be demolished to give way to the new complex. The option, though, was deemed as necessary to ensure the financial feasibility of the project. The approved proposal stated: "The Direction has decided to present to the associates the construction of a new stadium, fully conscious that this is the option that best responds to the earnings and needs of our Club, being both economically and financially sustainable, and will allow the associates of SL Benfica much better condition in which to follow the club's sporting events, in particular the football team's, and also revive our supporter base."

The team played at a partially demolished old stadium for a final season, with the then-reduced capacity-crowd of about 50,000 witnessing the last match of the old "Luz", on March 22, 2003. This was a round-26th championship match, against Santa Clara, won by Benfica with a lonely penalty conversion by Simão Sabrosa.

Ending the season with the Estádio Nacional hosting Benfica's home matches, the club entered a new stage in its life, playing the first match in the "Nova Catedral" (the New Cathedral) on October 25, 2003. The new stadium would host the Euro 2004 final match less than a year later.

Names

-Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica: The old stadium, like the new one, was officially named "Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica".

-Estádio de Carnide: At first, given the stadium's location, it was known generally as the "Estádio de Carnide", especially during the project and construction phases.

All the following names names were used in reference to the old stadium, but now refer to the new one:

-Estádio da Luz: Within the neighbouhood of Carnide, the "Luz" area is closer to the stadium, hence the most commonly used name: "Estádio da Luz".

-"A Catedral", literally, The Cathedral. The commercial brand used to promote ticket selling for the new stadium referred to it as "A Nova Catedral", or "the New Cathedral". The supporters just refer to it as The Cathedral, though, either reporting to the new or the old stadium.

-"O Inferno da Luz": "the Inferno of Light", was used on occasion to describe the intense environment created by the 120,000 capacity crowd.

-"O Terceiro Anel": the new stadium maintains a 3-tier structure, similar to the old one, not counting an additional tier for business boxes, so the traditional designation of the top tier is kept popularly as "Terceiro Anel" (literally, "Third Ring", even though at first it was commercialized as the fourth-tier. The "Terceiro Anel" is also used to designate the die-hard supporters that crowd the stadium on important matches. These are famously known for their overwhelming support for the team (the afore-mentioned "Inferno da Luz"), but also for on occasion expressing their discomptempt with the team's least accomplished performances.

The former stadium is now commonly referred to as "O Velho Estádio" (the Old Stadium) or "A Velha Catedral" (the Old Cathedral).

External links

* [http://www.stadiumguide.com/estadiodaluz.htm Stadium Guide entry for venue]
* [http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_menu/past_future/pictures/past_stadiums/lisbon_luz.shtml Worldstadiums.com entry]
* [http://www.planetbenfica.co.uk/page.php?55 PlanetBenfica entry]

References

External links

* [http://estadio.no.sapo.pt/ Estádio da Luz - O Gigante de Betão]
* [http://www.slbenfica.pt/Info/Clube/Estadios/NovaLuz/info_novaLuz.asp Information on the old stadium on the official site of Sport Lisboa e Benfica]


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