National Stadium in Warsaw opens - at last
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
30.01.2012 08:55
Fireworks and music filled the night skies over Warsaw on Sunday, as the new National Stadium was finally inaugurated after months of delays.
photo - PAP/Leszek Szymański
Over 40,000 descended on the arena on to attend a free concert starring a number of Poland's leading pop acts.
The stadium will be one of the eight match venues in the forthcoming Euro 2012 football tournament, which Poland is co-hosting with Ukraine.
Minister of Sport Joanna Mucha, who was present at the inauguration, revealed at a press conference beforehand that she had promised to run around the stadium if it did not make the 29 January deadline.
After the concert drew to a close, some 1000 fireworks illuminated the skies.
Construction of the arena began in July 2008, and over 400,000 tonnes of concrete were used in the project. The stadium can accommodate 56,000 fans.
The arena will be one of the key venues in Euro 2012, hosting opening group matches, as well as a quarter-final and a semi-final.
The final of tournament will be held in Kiev, Ukraine.
Poland's other host stadiums – all of which have already been launched – are in Gdansk, Poznan and Wroclaw.
In Ukraine, matches will be held in Lviv, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Kiev. (nh/pg)