Maracanã Stadium
Brazil is known throughout the world as the country of the most passionate football fans and the birthplace of famous football players. It is no coincidence that in Rio de Janeiro there is the famous Maracana stadium, on the field of which the hottest football battles have been played for more than a dozen years. The official name – Mariu Filho – the stadium received in honor of the famous Brazilian sports journalist who put a lot of effort into creating it. The people call the stadium « Marakana » – that is what the area in which it is located is called, the river that flows there, and this is the name of a special kind of parrots that lived in this area.
Construction history
Initially, they wanted to build the Marakana stadium instead of the old stadium of the football club « Vasco da Gama ». But Brazil was chosen as the venue for the 1950 World Cup. By the way, she was the only country to offer to host the championship. The authorities of Rio de Janeiro took over the costs of construction, so so still the stadium is the property of the city. Construction began in August 1948. The project provided for the construction of a giant structure with the largest field and accommodating the largest number of spectators in the world. The 7 best architects of Brazil worked on it. The construction was completely completed in 1965. For a long time, about 200 thousand fans attended the matches held at « Marakana ». The Guinness Book of Records recorded the number of 180 thousand spectators.
In June 1950, the new stadium opened a match between the youth teams of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The stadium has already met guests, but the work has not yet been completed – not all toilets have been installed, the construction of a press box has not ended. This did not seem to be the main – field and the stands are ready, so a grand football sight will take place! The São Paulo team won 3: 1 in that match. The countdown of the clogged heads at the stadium was opened by the well-known Didi.
During the championship, when the national team matches were held, the government announced the weekend. The most spectacular was the final battle between the national teams of Uruguay and Brazil, ended in the victory of Uruguay 2: 1. Passions were heated to the limit. So far, many Brazilians perceive that defeat as a catastrophe on a national scale. The match began to be called Marakanazzo. The final was attended by about 200 thousand fans. A significant part of them stood in the aisles and occupied the benches specially set for the duration of the match. Tickets for such « standing » places – « grilled » were sold for a symbolic cost of about $ 1. They could be afford to buy even the poorest spectators. Later, when part of the stands could not stand and collapsed during one of the matches, FIFA set strict requirements for the stadium before the 2014 championship. The Football Federation demanded that all places be only « sitting » and numbered. « Geral » have been canceled. The reconstruction of the stadium for the championship cost $ 480 million. Capacity reduced to 73 thousand places for spectators.
Marakana Stadium these days
Today « Marakana » – is the home arena « Flamengo » and « Fluminense ». The national team holds championships here. Famous clubs « Botafogo » and « Vasco da Gama » also hold their qualifying and final matches on « Marakana ». Each year, the final matches of the Karioki League are held. The stadium has an oval shape. A huge plastic visor is installed on the consoles above it. On the territory of the complex there are 60 cafes, almost 300 toilets, 12 escalators and 17 elevators are installed. The complex occupies almost 200,000 square meters. m.
For fans, 4 huge digital monitors broadcast close-up everything that happens on the field. The screen size is 100 square meters. m. The stadium is illuminated by 396 powerful spotlights, and all events record 360 cameras. An indoor gym was built next to the football arena. In addition to boxing and tennis competitions, concerts and festivals are held in the hall. In 2016, the opening and closing ceremony of the Olympic Games was held at the stadium.
The Hall of Fame has been opened in the sports complex, dedicated to the great football players who played on « Marakana ». Among them are Didi, Pele, Barbosa, Ronaldo, Ziko. Star concerts – F. Sinatra, « Kiss », P. McCartney, T. Turner, Sting, Madonna, « Rolling Stones ». Once here even read the sermon of Pope John Paul II. In 1998. « Marakana » recognized as a historical monument. Although the stadium lost ground today, it is impossible to imagine Brazilians without it. « Marakana » has become part of the national culture, and it is still called « football temple ».
