| Ljudski vrt | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Stadion Ljudski vrt |
| Location | Maribor, Slovenia |
| Opened | 12 July 1952 |
| Owner | City of Maribor |
| Surface | Grass |
| Architect | OFIS Architects |
| Capacity | 12,994[1] |
| Field dimensions | 105 metres (115 yd) × 68 metres (74 yd) |
| Tenants | |
| NK Branik (1952–1959) NK Maribor (1961–present) Slovenia national football team (1994–present) |
|
Ljudski vrt (English: People's garden, German: Volksgarten) is an association football stadium located on the left bank of the river Drava in the district of Koroška vrata, Maribor, Slovenia, with a seating capacity of 12,994. The ground has been the home of NK Maribor for every season since their formation on 12 December 1960, with the exception of two short periods in early 1961 during the construction of the new stands and early 2008, when the stadium underwent a major reconstruction. Built in 1952 it was originally the home of NK Branik, an association football club which folded and was dissolved in 1959. Used as one of the main venues of the national team, the ground has hosted eighteen Slovenia internationals at senior level, the first in 1994 and the most recent in 2011. Ljudski vrt has hosted more Slovenian football cup finals than any other stadium, having hosted nine matches in total (six Slovenian Cups and three Slovenian Supercups). Slovenia will be organizing the UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship in 2012, with Ljudski vrt being one of the four venues to host matches. In addition, the stadium is scheduled to host the 2013 Winter Universiade.
The area was used for burial purpuses for centuries before it was first used for football in early 1920s. Over the course of its history the stadium has gone through various stages of renovation and development, resulting in the current configuration. The record attendance at the stadium is 20,000, which was set in a match between Maribor and Proleter Zrenjanin in 1973. This record was set before the ground's conversion to an all-seater stadium in 1999; the changes, a result of UEFA safety regulations, include greatly reduced capacity. Notable feature of the stadium include the main stand 129,8 meters long and 18,4 meters high concrete arch that is protected by the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia (Slovene: Zavod za varstvo kulturne dediščine Slovenije) as an architectural and historic landmark. Ljudski vrt's public transport links include rail and bus services, but it lacks dedicated parking facilities. The ground is about 1,5 kilometres (1 mile) from Maribor railway and bus station.
Future plans for Ljudski vrt include the construction of a nearby underground parking garage that would solve the current parking problems and the redevelopment of the outdated main stand, which was built in 1962 and has not received a major renovation since then. The stadium is a landmark of the city of Maribor and is considered as one of the most beautiful smaller stadium in the world.[2][3]
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The area now known as Ljudski vrt was originally located outside of Maribor's city walls and served as a cemetery for centuries. Around the year 1358 a small parish church with a cemetery was build and remained there until 1522 when it was abandoned,[4] with Turkish incursions being the most likely reason.[5] By 1571 the church was completely in ruins. The site served as a cemetery again between 1783 and 1914 when it was closed by a decision of the Maribor city council.[4] The tombs were allowed to be used until 1937 when they were transferred to a new site.[4] In 1873 a tree park (German: Volksgarten) was planted on the area from which Ljudski vrt received its present day name. During World War I the park served as a shooting range for the Austro-Hungarian Army.[6] Like in other Slovenian towns (Ljubljana, Celje, Trbovlje)[7] after World War I football boomed in Maribor with the establishemt of new clubs, most notably 1. SSK Maribor (Slovene: 1. Slovenski Športni Klub Maribor, English: 1. Slovene Sport Club Maribor), which was founded in 1919 by Slovenian youth.[8] Together with athletics and tennis, football was one of the main sports departments of the club and in 1920 they received their first football field at the Ljudski vrt area,[6] which was erected with the help of prison convicts.[8]
Ljudski vrt remained in much the same state for another 30 years with no major developments until 1950s. In 1952 the main football ground at Ljudski vrt was erected where it still stands today.[6] A decade later in 1962, the current main stand was constructed on the western side of the field, together with a smaller one on the opposite eastern side.[6] NK Maribor played their first match at Ljudski vrt on 25 June 1961 during the promotional qualifications for the Yugoslav Second Division against NK Mladost Zabok. Although the stadium was still under construction 3,000 spectators came to see the first match.[9] For the match, which was won by Maribor 3–2, only the smaller eastern stand was opened.[9] The main stand is still the most recognizable part of the stadium. The main feature of the stand is its 129,8 meters long and 18,4 meters high concrete arch[6] that is protected by the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia.[10]
Since then the stadium went through four renovations. In 1994 the main stand was renovated.[6] Four years later (1998), with successful participations of NK Maribor in the European club competition, the stadium was turned into an all-seater and only one year later was fully renovated after the successful qualification of Maribor in the UEFA Champions League.[6] The biggest renovation was the last one from 2006 to 2008 when the stadium was completely renovated and now holds a capacity of 12,994 covered seats.[1] This renovation is planned in separate phases and is scheduled for completion in the next few years.
For local supporters, the stadium is known as Nogometni hram (Football temple) and the pitch itself as Sveta trava (Holy grass). This is most likely due to the tremendous success the club has had on this stadium, but perhaps also because a cemetery was located on the area before the stadium was built.[11]
The capacity of Ljudski vrt varied throughout history due to renovations, different safety regulations and seating arrangement. Although the official capacity of the stadium in the days of SFR Yugoslavia was around 10,000 the fact that the stadium had mostly standing terraces made it possible for attendance on important matches to reach as high as 20,000 spectators.[12]
The official capacity of the stadium after 1991 was 7,200 however due to the large part of terraces still composed of standing area it was possible for the stadium to hold well over 10,000 spectators on important matches. The most was in 1997 when 14,000 people gathered on the last match of the 1996–97 season.[13] When NK Maribor qualified in the UEFA Champions League the stadium underwent a major reconstruction and due to UEFA seafty regulations the stadium was turned into an all-seater stadium with the capacity of 10,160.
In 2008 the stadium underwent another major reconstruction and the capacity was increased to 12,435 covered seats, which was increased again in 2010 and the current capacity of the stadium today is 12,994.[1]
The stadium is mainly used for football and is the home ground of football club NK Maribor. It is the symbol of the club and one of the most recognizable sport landmarks in Slovenia. Beside being the home ground of NK Maribor, the stadium has also hosted final matches of the Slovenian Cup and Slovenian Supercup on numerous occasions and is also the home venue of the Slovenia national football team and was the main venue for 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifications. The stadium will also be one of two main venues for UEFA Euro 2012 qualifications.[14]
| Date | Attendance | Home team | Result | Away team | Competition | Match report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 June 1994 | 10,000 | Maribor | 3–1 (2nd leg) |
Mura | Cup | Report (Slovene) |
| 9 June 1997 | 8,000 | Maribor | 3–0 (2nd leg) |
Primorje | Cup | Report (Slovene) |
| 16 June 1999 | 6,000 | Maribor | 2–0 (2nd leg) |
Olimpija Ljubljana | Cup | Report (Slovene) |
| 19 May 2004 | 1,500 | Maribor | 4–0 (1st leg) |
Dravograd | Cup | Report (Slovene) |
| 30 May 2009 | 2,500 | Interblock | 2–1 | Koper | Cup | Report (Slovene) |
| 8 July 2009 | 2,000 | Maribor | 3–2 (a.e.t.) |
Interblock | Supercup | Report (Slovene) |
| 8 May 2010 | 6,000 | Maribor | 3–2 (a.e.t.) |
Domžale | Cup | Report (Slovene) |
| 9 July 2010 | 2,000 | Koper | 5–4 (pen.) |
Maribor | Supercup | Report (Slovene) |
| 8 July 2011 | 2,500 | Maribor | 1–2 | Domžale | Supercup | Report (Slovene) |
| Date | Attendance | Home team | Result | Away team | Competition | Match report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 April 1994 | 3,000 | Slovenia | 3–0 | Cyprus | Friendly | Report (Slovene) |
| 7 September 1994 | 6,000 | Slovenia | 1–1 | Italy | UEFA Euro 1996 Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 16 November 1994 | 4,000 | Slovenia | 1–2 | Lithuania | UEFA Euro 1996 Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 29 March 1995 | 3,000 | Slovenia | 3–0 | Estonia | UEFA Euro 1996 Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 14 November 1998 | 4,000 | Slovenia | 1–0 | Latvia | UEFA Euro 2000 Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 9 November 1999 | 3,000 | Slovenia | 0–3 | Greece | UEFA Euro 2000 Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 20 August 2008 | 11,100 | Slovenia | 2–3 | Croatia | Friendly | Report (Slovene) |
| 10 September 2008 | 10,000 | Slovenia | 2–1 | Slovakia | 2010 FIFA World Cup Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 11 November 2008 | 12,385 | Slovenia | 2–0 | Northern Ireland | 2010 FIFA World Cup Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 19 November 2008 | 10,000 | Slovenia | 3–4 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Friendly | Report (Slovene) |
| 28 March 2009 | 12,376 | Slovenia | 0–0 | Czech Republic | 2010 FIFA World Cup Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 12 August 2009 | 6,500 | Slovenia | 5–0 | San Marino | 2010 FIFA World Cup Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 9 September 2009 | 12,000 | Slovenia | 3–0 | Poland | 2010 FIFA World Cup Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 12 August 2009 | 12,510 | Slovenia | 1–0 | Russia | 2010 FIFA World Cup Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 3 March 2010 | 5,000 | Slovenia | 4–1 | Qatar | Friendly | Report (Slovene) |
| 4 June 2010 | 10,965 | Slovenia | 3–1 | New Zealand | Friendly | Report (Slovene) |
| 3 September 2010 | 12,400 | Slovenia | 0–1 | Northern Ireland | UEFA Euro 2012 Q | Report (Slovene) |
| 11 October 2011 | 11,000 | Slovenia | 1–0 | Serbia | UEFA Euro 2012 Q | Report (Slovene) |
On the eve of the 50th anniversary of NK Maribor, the official club website has listed four legendary matches of the club in its history of playing in the Ljudski vrt stadium.[15]
Maribor played its first match in Ljudski vrt in the qualifications for the 2nd Yugoslav division, despite the fact that the main stand of the stadium was still under construction.[16] The main reason for such a decision was the fact that the pitch conditions in Ljudski vrt were better than the one on the club's old stadium.[16]
| 25 June 1961 |
NK Maribor | 3 – 2 | NK Mladost Zabok | Ljudski vrt, Maribor Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Miličić (Croatia) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaznik 24' Tolič 33' Čeh 66' (pen.) |
Report | Donko 17' (o.g.) Jeremić 60' (pen.) |
Note: The national flag icons indicate the present day countries of the respective clubs. Until 1991 both teams were part of SFR Yugoslavia
On 8 July 1973 Maribor played in the 1st leg of the qualifications for Yugoslav First League against Proleter.[12] There was 20,000 spectators on the stands that day which is still the record in club history and one of the records of Slovenian football.[12]
| 8 July 1973 16:30 |
NK Maribor | 3 – 1 | FK Proleter Zrenjanin | Ljudski vrt, Maribor Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Kurir (Croatia) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binkovski 5' Horjak 6' Vučeković 65' |
Report | Vidović 31' |
Note: The national flag icons indicate the present day countries of the respective clubs. Until 1991 both teams were part of SFR Yugoslavia
At the end of the 1990s Maribor was close into qualifying into the elite UEFA Champions League. In 1998 the team was close but eventually lost to PSV after extra time. A year later the team played against Lyon. In the 1st leg in Lyon Maribor made an upset and won the match 1-0.[17] The 2nd leg was scheduled to be played on 25 August 1999 in Ljudski vrt and the ticket demand was so high that the team could sell well over 30,000 tickets.[17] However, the stadium had a capacity of only 7,500.[17]
| 25 August 1999 20:45 |
NK Maribor | 2 – 0 | Olympique Lyonnais | Ljudski vrt, Maribor Attendance: 7,500 Referee: Sarvan (Turkey) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Šimundža 24' Balajić 44' |
Report |
The first match on the new Ljudski vrt stadium after its major reconstruction was played against Nafta on 10 May 2008.[18]
| 10 May 2008 19:00 |
NK Maribor | 3 – 1 | NK Nafta | Ljudski vrt, Maribor Attendance: 12,435 Referee: Čeferin (Slovenia) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pavlovič 24' Nilton 42' Tavares 59' |
Report | Vass 19' |
Due to excellent acoustics the stadiums is a popular choice for concerts and other cultural performances. One of the first on the renovated stadium was the Greek Zorba musical which had an attendance of around 6,000 people. The stadium also hosts an annual concert Piše se leto organized by Večer newspaper.
The highest attendance recorded at Ljudski vrt is 20,000, for Maribor's match against Proleter Zrenjanin in the first leg of the promotional playoffs for the Yugoslav First League, on 8 July 1973.[12] The stadium also holds the record for the highest attendance achieved on a Slovenian league match.[19] This was set in the final round of the 1996–97 season when 14,000 spectators were present for Maribor's match against Beltinci which secured the club's first league title, on 1 June 1997.[13] The record modern (all-seated) attendance is 12,510, for a return leg of the 2010 FIFA World Cup playoffs beteween Slovenia and Russia, on 18 November 2009.[20] In addition, Ljudski vrt holds the record for the highest average attendance during the Slovenian league season to date (5,289).[21]
Maribor did not lose a league match at Ljudski vrt during the 1960–61 (Div 3), 1965–66 (Div 2), 1966–67 (Div 2), 1970–71 (Div 1), 1972–73 (Div 2), 1977–78 (Div 2), 1980–81 (Div 2), 1981–82 (Div 3), 1983–84 (Div 3), 1985–86 (Div 3), 1987–88 (Div 3), 1991–92 (Div 1), 1992–93 (Div 1), 1998–99 (Div 1) and 1999–00 (Div 1) season. They won all their home games during the 1983-84 and 1985-86 seasons. Maribor's longest winning streak at home extended from October 1993 to November 1994, a period encompassing 17 league games, in which Maribor scored 52 goals and conceded 10.
The stadium is about 1,5 kilometres (1 mile) from Maribor bus station and Maribor railway station, which lies on the Pan-European Corridor Xa that connects Zagreb to Graz and on Pan-European Corridor V, which connects Venice and Kiev (Ljubljana - Budapest). Several bus lines pass directly by the stadium with the nearest bus stations located less than one hundred meters from the ground. The connection to the A1 motorway, that links to the Slovenian motorway network, is located about 3 kilometres (2 miles) to the east, while Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport is located about 13 kilometres (8 miles) to the southeast of the ground.
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