In 2005, the capital of Tatarstan celebrated its millennium anniversary. Anyone who visited Kazan in the 21st century could not help but note the dramatic changes that took place in the urban environment. The opening of the metro, the restoration of historical monuments and the construction of new magnificent buildings, the expansion of streets and sidewalks are an incomplete list of changes. Today Kazan is a modern metropolis with a huge historical “background”. The cherry on the cake was the opening of a new stadium, which had been waiting for more than one year.
Background. What happened
Despite the status of a million-plus city, for a long time the only large stadium in Kazan was Central, located in the very center of the Volga city. The sports facility, built back in 1960, was morally and technically obsolete by the beginning of the new millennium, although it survived a series of reconstructions. In addition to the football "Rubin" in the arena, the hockey club "SK named after Uritsky "- the forerunner of the modern" Ak Bars ". The games were held in the open air, which is rather difficult to imagine in modern hockey.
The request for the construction of a new stadium coincided with a landmark event for the city: Kazan received the right to host the 2013 Summer Universiade. On May 5, 2010, the first stone was laid at the base of the stadium. The leadership of the republic and the Chairman of the Government of Russia V.V. Putin took part in it. Three years later, the sports facility was inaugurated. This event took place on June 14, 2013.
Architecture and style
The American company Populous, known for its creative ideas in the field of sports facilities, and the domestic architect V.V. Motorin, who adapted Western solutions for our country, had a hand in developing the design and functional filling of the stadium. According to the initial idea, the arena should look like a water lily, if you look at it from above. The colors of the stands are made in traditional local colors - red, green and white.
The territory of the Kazan Arena stadium is 32 hectares. The construction itself covers an area of 130 thousand square meters. The height of the sports facility is approximately 50 meters. Near the stadium there is an impressive car park that can simultaneously accommodate four and a half thousand vehicles. A distinctive feature of the arena is a huge media facade, located facing the main entrances. Its area is 4.2 thousand square meters and at the moment it is recognized as the largest in Europe.
Inside the stadium bowl
The capacity of the main stadium of the Republic of Tatarstan is 45, 379 people. This corresponds to modern requirements - to build roomy arenas, but not succumb to gigantomania of the middle of the last century. Fans are conveniently placed on four tiers of open bleachers, as well as on four frontal and corner sectors. It offers fans of the highest status 72 VIP-boxes.
Under the stands of the arena there is everything that may be necessary for both the guest and the participant in the competition. A lot of cafes, a sports bar and restaurant, the museum of the football club "Rubin" for the first. Swimming pool, fitness and spa for the second. The media has a modern conference room.
In the photo below you can see the location scheme of the Kazan Arena stadium:
Arena location and transport accessibility
The sports facility is located in the Novo-Savinovsky district of Kazan and is significantly remote from the city center. The address of the Kazan Arena stadium: 115A Yamasheva Avenue.
The easiest way to get to the arena is by tram. Two routes go here: high-speed at number five and the usual at number six. That tram was the main vehicle for the movement of fans during last year's Confederations Cup. You can also use the buses of the four routes. The numbers 33, 45, 62 and 75 go to the Kazan Arena stadium. In the long run, two new metro stations will open next to the facility: Stadium and Chistopolskaya.
