Owner Ceres Park & Arena Opened June 5, 1920 Capacity 20,032 | Surface Grass Renovated 1993, 2001 Phone +45 89 38 60 00 | |
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Former names Aarhus Idrætspark, Atletion, NRGi Park Location Stadion Allé 70
8000 Århus C Address Stadion Allé 70, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark Similar Tivoli Friheden, The Old Town - Aarhus, EWII Park, Nordjyske Arena, Parken Stadium | ||
Ceres Park & Arena (former Aarhus Idrætspark, Atletion and NRGi Park) is a combined sport venue, in Aarhus, Denmark, where the football stadium and the arena are the main parts. It is located in the scenic Marselisborg Forests close to the center of Aarhus.
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Ceres Park
After the renovation in 2001 the stadium had room for 20,032 spectators. Since then an expansion of the VIP facilities has decreased the total capacity to 19.433. The stadium is the center for football in [Aarhus]]. AGF plays all its home matches on Ceres Park.
On May 27, 2006, the Danish national football team played a friendly against Paraguay. This was the first national home match not played in Parken in Copenhagen since 1992.
In 2007, the park played host to two of Denmark's Euro 2008 qualifying matches against Liechtenstein and Spain after UEFA ordered the matches played away from Copenhagen following a fan attack in a previous match against Sweden.
In 2011 Atletion hosted the final of the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. Three group stage matches were also played at the stadium.
The park has hosted concerts by many famous artists, including Cliff Richard, Elton John, AC/DC, Depeche Mode, The Eagles and George Michael, among others.
Ceres Arena
The Ceres Arena is primarily used for Handball, and was the main arena of the 2002 European Women's Championships, hosting the final. Danish Handball League side Aarhus GF's women team and Aarhus Håndbold plays their home matches here. The arena was also used for basketball, by Bakken Bears, but because of the high price for renting the arena, Bakken Bears moved back to there old home Vejlby-Risskov Hallen. In non-sports, the 2004 Danish Song Contest was held in this arena.
The arena's capacity, when set up for handball, is 5001 (4.394 seats).
Store Hal
Store Hal is Ceres Park & Arena's second indoor exhibition arena primarily used by Team Århus Floorball, and it seats approximately 1.500 spectators. The original name for the arena was Nye Stadionhal.
During the German occupation in World War II Store Hal suffered an unfortunate fate. The Germans seized all halls in Atletion for their own use, which in 1943 resulted in an act of sabotage from the Danish resistance movement. Store Hal burned down to the ground and was not rebuild until early 1954 where the current building was finished. It was designed by architect C. F. Møller in the same style as the old.
In 2006 Store Hal was renamed NRGi Store Hal, when local energy company NRGi, bought the naming rights for Atletion.