Ali Sami Yen Stadium
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| Ali Sami Yen Stadium | |
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| Full name | Ali Sami Yen Stadium |
| Nickname | Hell |
| Built | 1943 |
| Opened | 1964 |
| Capacity | 23,785 |
| Home of | Galatasaray SK |
| Pitch size | 105 x 68 m |
Ali Sami Yen Stadium is the home of the football club Galatasaray SK in Istanbul, Turkey. It is named after the founder of the club, Ali Sami Yen. The stadium has a capacity of 23,785 (all-seater) and is situated in the Mecidiyeköy quarter of the Şişli district at the center of the city.
In 1940, the historic Taksim Stadium was demolished to give way to the Taksim Gezi Park next to Taksim Square, and the teams of Istanbul's Beyoğlu quarter had to find a new stadium to play their matches. Galatasaray Sports Club decided to build a large, modern stadium, and construction works began in 1943. Due to the difficulties faced during the World War II years, only a small stadium could initially be built, which was opened in 1945. However, construction works continued on the site and the current stadium was completed in 1964.
Ali Sami Yen Stadium was inaugurated on December 14th, 1964, with a friendly game between Turkey and Bulgaria. Unfortunately, tragedy struck during the opening match: in one of the stands many people fell onto the first floor, which caused numerous injuries, but luckily none of them were fatal. Spotlights were added to the stadium in 1965, and night games began to be played (the lighting system was renovated in 1993). The stadium is made up of 2 identical lateral stands which are covered by a roof: the Numaralı (Numbered) stand, where the TV cameras are located; and the Kapalı (Covered) stand, where the most fanatical team supporters usually view the games. The two other stands, behind the goal gates, are the Yeni Açık (New Open), with 2 tiers, and the Eski Açık (Old Open), with the electronic scoreboard.
In the past, games were played in front of more than 40,000 spectators in this stadium, which is nicknamed "Hell" by Galatasaray's supporters because of its intimidating atmosphere and the enthusiastic support of the fans who often make mass use of torches, smoke, drums, flags and giant posters to create visual grandeur and apply psychological pressure on visiting teams. Ali Sami Yen is important for Galatasaray because it has seen many victories against renowned European football clubs, such as FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and PSV Eindhoven.
The stadium is located in Mecidiyeköy, one of the most crowded quarters of central Istanbul, surrounded by dense urban development. In recent years, numerous proposals have been put forward to demolish the current stadium and build a larger one on the same location, but this is impossible due to the lack of space. Today, Galatasaray is planning to build a new stadium in another quarter of Istanbul, Seyrantepe, the name of which has been changed to Aslantepe (Lion Hill) after Galatasaray purchased the ground; Aslan (Lion) being Galatasaray's symbol. The idea is to realize a stadium on the model of the ArenA in Amsterdam, and complete it in 16 months. The construction works of the new stadium will begin at the end of 2007. The new stadium will have a capacity of 52,500, making it the largest private stadium owned by a club in Turkey. It will also feature a mobile pitch and a hydraulic dome at the top which can be closed in case of rain or snow. There are also plans for building a shopping mall and residential units as part of the Aslantepe Project.
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[edit] Games and tickets
A portion of the stadium, covering around 7,000 to 8,000 seats, is sold annually in the form of seasonal tickets. Average number of fans per game is around 19,000, while the stadium has a capacity of 25,500.
[edit] Stands
The cheapest seats are those of the Eski Açık (Old Open) stand, behind one of the goal gates. The best atmosphere in the stadium is in the Kapalı (Covered) stand, where the most fanatical fans congregate. For more comfort, the Numaralı (Numbered) stand is the best, but this is also the most expensive one. The stadium's most modern section is the recently rebuilt Eski Açık (Old Open) stand.
[edit] Access
Access to Ali Sami Yen is easy, as the stadium is not far from popular tourist locations such as Taksim Square. There is a subway station near the stadium, as well as a bus stop for several lines of the Metropolitan Municipality's bus network. The subway station's name is "Şişli/Mecidiyeköy".
[edit] See also
