Atletion
| Aarhus Idrætspark | |
  | |
| Location |
Stadion Allé 70 8000 Århus C |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 56°7′55″N 10°11′47″E / 56.13194°N 10.19639°E |
| Owner | Ceres Park & Arena |
| Capacity | 19,433 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Opened | June 5, 1920 |
| Renovated | 1993, 2001 |
| Architect | Axel Høeg-Hansen (original) |
| Tenants | |
|
AGF Aarhus Team Århus Floorball Bakken Bears Denmark national football team (some matches) | |
Atletion is a combined sport venue, in Aarhus, Denmark, where the football stadium and the arena are the main parts.
Ceres Park
After the expansion of the stadium in 2001, there are now seats for 20,032 spectators. It's a modern stadium, and the pitch is heated, so even the first games of the season can be played, no matter how the weather is. The stadium is the center for football in Århus. AGF plays all its home matches on Atletion.
On May 27, 2006, the Danish national football team played a friendly against Paraguay. This was the first national home match not played in Parken in Copenhagen since 1992.
In 2007, the park played host to two of Denmark's Euro 2008 qualifying matches against Liechtenstein and Spain after UEFA ordered the matches played away from Copenhagen following a fan attack in a previous match against Sweden.
In 2011 Atletion hosted the final of the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. Three group stage matches were also played at the stadium.
The park has hosted concerts by many famous artists, including Cliff Richard, Elton John, Depeche Mode and George Michael, among others.
Ceres Arena
The Ceres Arena is primarily used for Handball, and was the main arena of the 2002 European Women's Championships, hosting the final. Danish Handball League side Aarhus GF's women team and Aarhus Håndbold plays their home matches here. The arena was also used for basketball, by Bakken Bears, but because of the high price for renting the arena, Bakken Bears moved back to there old home Vejlby-Riisskov Hallen. In non-sports, the 2004 Danish Song Contest was held in this arena.
The arena's capacity, when set up for handball, is 5001 (4.394 seats).
Store Hal
Store Hal is Atletion's second indoor exhibition arena primarily used by Team Århus Floorball, and it seats approximately 1.500 spectators. The original name for the arena was Nye Stadionhal.
During the German occupation in World War II Store Hal suffered an unfortunate fate. The Germans seized all halls in Atletion for their own use, which in 1943 resulted in an act of sabotage from the Danish resistance movement. Store Hal burned down to the ground and was not rebuild until early 1954 where the current building was finished. It was designed by architect C. F. Møller in the same style as the old.
In 2006 Store Hal was renamed NRGi Store Hal, when local energy company NRGi, bought the naming rights for Atletion.
See also
External links
Coordinates: 56°07′55″N 10°11′48″E / 56.132033°N 10.196589°E