About the Building
While the first Austrian club was founded in 1892 by Englishmen and later called Austria, Vienna did not have a real stadium.
The Ernst Happel stadium was finally built on the grounds of the Prater Park after much consideration, although grounds in Coblenz, in the Augarten Park, on the heights of the Hohe Warte were also considered. The foundation stone was laid in 1928 and the stadium was opened on July 11, 1931. At the same time, a swimming pool and a cycling track were built.
The stadium was expanded in the post-war years to accommodate 60,000 spectators and 90,000 in 1959. Later, the number of standing places was reduced in favor of seats, to reach the current capacity. Renovated in 1985, the stadium is now covered.
The stadium was named after Ernst Happel (1925-1992), a legendary footballer of the Viennese club Rapid, then coach of various European soccer clubs and finally of the Austrian national team.
The stadium is now mainly used for Austrian league matches, some European matches, but also for athletic events, cycling races, as well as some concerts of world stars of the rock and pop music scene.
The Ersnt Happel Stadium is the largest stadium in Austria.
