Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, National sports complex in Crystal Palace, London Borough of Bromley, GB
Crystal Palace National Sports Centre is a large sports complex with a stadium, indoor halls, swimming pools, diving platforms, and an athletics track in southeast London. The stadium holds around 15000 spectators and sits within the expansive Crystal Palace Park.
The complex opened in 1964 on the same ground where Cup finals took place between 1895 and 1914. The old stadium witnessed its attendance record in 1913 with more than 120000 people attending one of those final matches.
The centre takes its name from the vanished glass palace that once stood here, whose memory remains alive in many corners of the park. Particularly striking are the huge dinosaur sculptures from Victorian times, which recall the earlier world's fair.
The sports complex opens on weekdays from half past six in the morning until evening and at weekends from half past eight until afternoon. Parking spaces and bicycle racks are available directly at the complex.
The building stands out for its folded teak roof, which is carried by a concrete frame and enjoys special protection status. This construction from the sixties is regarded as an outstanding example of sports venue architecture from that period.
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