Stadion Heysel, Sports stadium in Brussels, Belgium
Stadion Heysel is a multi-purpose sports stadium in the north-west of Brussels, inaugurated on 23 August 1930 as the Stade du Jubilé, the day after Belgium's centenary of independence. The original ground held over 70,000 standing spectators. It was demolished in 1995 and replaced on the same site by the 50,000-seat Stade Roi Baudouin, opened on 23 August 1995.
The venue opened in 1930 as a commemoration of Belgium's centenary of independence and was built to serve as the nation's modern sports center. After a tragic incident in 1985, the facility underwent major reconstruction and received a new identity along with improved safety standards.
The stadium's first name, Stade du Jubilé, marked Belgium's 1930 centenary of independence; it was renamed Heysel after World War II. European Cup finals were held here in 1958, 1966, 1974 and 1985, and the Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1964, 1976 and 1980. The 1958 European match drew 66,000 spectators, the ground's record for such fixtures.
The stadium stands in the north-west of Brussels, on the Heysel plateau, and is reached by metro from the city centre. The oval bowl is enclosed by a dark perimeter fence, with the tiered stands rising behind it and flagpoles along the top edge. The old 1930 structure was demolished in 1995, so visitors today see the 50,000-seat Stade Roi Baudouin opened on 23 August 1995.
The venue hosted multiple major European football finals between 1958 and 1985, giving it significant continental sporting prestige. This history makes it a location of international athletic importance within Belgium's sports landscape.
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