Stadionul Ion Moina
Encyclopedia
Cluj Arena is a multi-use stadium in Cluj-Napoca
, Romania
. It was ready as of October 2011 and is to be ranked as an UEFA Elite stadium. The stadium is the new home ground of FC Universitatea Cluj
.
The owner, Cluj County Council
, and the Government of Romania
paid about €45,000,000 for the new stadium
, which is able to hold 30,201 people. The stadium is composed of 4 two-tier covered stands and a new running track. The seats are grey coloured, with different nuances depending on their position.
was built between 1908 and 1911. It had one wooden stand and a capacity of 1,500 people. The official inauguration in 1911 was done by organizing a game between a selection of Cluj and Galatasaray
Istanbul
. It was the first game in Europe
for Galatasaray
, and the selection of Cluj won 8-1.
In 1961 new stands were built and the capacity of the stadium became 28,000 on wooden benches, while the old stands were moved to Câmpia Turzii
. The 1961 stands have a U-shaped appearance, as the name of the team that uses it. The stadium is named after Ion Moina, the fastest sprinter in Europe in 1948.
The demolition process of the old stadium began on November 20, 2008, so that it could free the space for the new one.
On 16 July 2009 the construction of the stadium began. The stadium was due to be finished by July 2011. By July 2011, about 90% of the new stadium was completed. The stadium officially opened for public in the first day of October. Eight days later the Scorpions
held a concert and the next day Smokie
played at Cluj Arena. The inaugural match was held on October 11, with a friendly between Universitatea Cluj and Kuban Krasnodar
. The first official match was a Liga I
encounter of Universitatea Cluj and FC Braşov
, played on October 17.
.
river. The area represents the city's old sport complex, built at the beginning of the century, which included the old stadium, the old indoor arena, and a sports oriented park. There were projects involving the stadium being built in other locations, but the authorities ceased due to public pressure and decided to build the new arena on the same premises.
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. It was ready as of October 2011 and is to be ranked as an UEFA Elite stadium. The stadium is the new home ground of FC Universitatea Cluj
FC Universitatea Cluj
Fotbal Club Universitatea Cluj is a Romanian professional football club from Cluj-Napoca, founded in 1919 by Iuliu Hațieganu. The team plays in the country's top-flight league, Liga I...
.
The owner, Cluj County Council
Cluj County
Cluj ; is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Cluj-Napoca.-Demographics:In 2007, it had a population of 692,316 and a population density of 104/km².*Romanians – 80%*Hungarians – 17.5%*Roma – 2.5%-Geography:...
, and the Government of Romania
Government of Romania
The Government of Romania forms one half of the country's executive branch . It is headed by the Prime-Minister, and consists of the Ministries, various subordinated institutions and agencies, and the 42 Prefectures...
paid about €45,000,000 for the new stadium
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
, which is able to hold 30,201 people. The stadium is composed of 4 two-tier covered stands and a new running track. The seats are grey coloured, with different nuances depending on their position.
History
The first football and athletics stadium in Cluj-NapocaCluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
was built between 1908 and 1911. It had one wooden stand and a capacity of 1,500 people. The official inauguration in 1911 was done by organizing a game between a selection of Cluj and Galatasaray
Galatasaray S.K.
Galatasaray Spor Kulübü is a Turkish sports club based in Istanbul, most notable for its football section, also known as Galatasaray S.K.. It also fields teams in Athletics, Basketball, Wheelchair basketball, Volleyball, Water polo, Swimming, Rowing, Sailing, Judo, Bridge, Equestrian, Handball,...
Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. It was the first game in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for Galatasaray
Galatasaray S.K.
Galatasaray Spor Kulübü is a Turkish sports club based in Istanbul, most notable for its football section, also known as Galatasaray S.K.. It also fields teams in Athletics, Basketball, Wheelchair basketball, Volleyball, Water polo, Swimming, Rowing, Sailing, Judo, Bridge, Equestrian, Handball,...
, and the selection of Cluj won 8-1.
In 1961 new stands were built and the capacity of the stadium became 28,000 on wooden benches, while the old stands were moved to Câmpia Turzii
Câmpia Turzii
Câmpia Turzii is a city in Cluj County, Romania, which was formed in 1925 by the union of two villages, Ghiriş and Sâncrai...
. The 1961 stands have a U-shaped appearance, as the name of the team that uses it. The stadium is named after Ion Moina, the fastest sprinter in Europe in 1948.
The demolition process of the old stadium began on November 20, 2008, so that it could free the space for the new one.
On 16 July 2009 the construction of the stadium began. The stadium was due to be finished by July 2011. By July 2011, about 90% of the new stadium was completed. The stadium officially opened for public in the first day of October. Eight days later the Scorpions
Scorpions (band)
Scorpions are a heavy metal/hard rock band from Hannover, Germany, formed in 1965 by guitarist Rudolf Schenker, who is the band's only constant member. They are known for their 1980s rock anthem "Rock You Like a Hurricane" and many singles, such as "No One Like You", "Send Me an Angel", "Still...
held a concert and the next day Smokie
Smokie (band)
Smokie is an English rock band from Bradford, Yorkshire who found success in Europe in the 1970s.-Early years:Originally called The Yen, then The Sphynx and later Essence, the band was formed in 1964 at St. Bede's Grammar School in Heaton, Bradford as The Yen. The Yen's first gig was at Birkenshaw...
played at Cluj Arena. The inaugural match was held on October 11, with a friendly between Universitatea Cluj and Kuban Krasnodar
FC Kuban Krasnodar
FC Kuban is a Russian football club based in Krasnodar. In 2011 will play in the Russian Premier League after having won the Russian First Division in 2010....
. The first official match was a Liga I
Liga I
Liga I, or in full, due to sponsorship reasons, Liga I Bergenbier, is the top division of the Romanian football league system. Before the 2006/2007 season, it was called Divizia A, but the name had to be changed following the discovery that someone else had registered the trademark "Divizia A"...
encounter of Universitatea Cluj and FC Braşov
FC Brasov
Fotbal Club Brașov is a professional football club based in the city of Brașov, Romania. They were founded in 1936, and since then they have spent 41 season in the top-flight. Brașov kits are yellow-black, and they play their home matches on the Silviu Ploeșteanu stadium.-Early modern football in...
, played on October 17.
Name
There were controversies involving the name of the new stadium. Before the demolition of the 1961-built arena, the stadium was called Ion Moina, but the new one was going to be named differently. While the fans proposed the name of Mircea Luca, a "U" Cluj legendary player, the local authorities were torn between "Cluj Arena" and lending the name to an international company, like in the case of the Allianz ArenaAllianz Arena
The Allianz Arena is a football stadium in the north of Munich, Bavaria, Germany. The two professional Munich football clubs FC Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 München have played their home games at Allianz Arena since the start of the 2005–06 season...
.
Location
Cluj Arena is built on the same location as the old stadium, west of the Central Park and next to the Someşul MicSomesul Mic River
The Someșul Mic River is a river in north-western Romania . It is formed at the confluence of two rivers, Someșul Cald and Someșul Rece, that come from the Apuseni Mountains...
river. The area represents the city's old sport complex, built at the beginning of the century, which included the old stadium, the old indoor arena, and a sports oriented park. There were projects involving the stadium being built in other locations, but the authorities ceased due to public pressure and decided to build the new arena on the same premises.