Exploring the Iconic Stadion Poljud: A Croatian Landmark

Stadion Poljud stands as more than just a sports venue; it is a symbol of architectural innovation and sporting heritage. Built to host the 1979 Mediterranean Games, this iconic stadium has become a beloved fixture in the cityscape, serving as the home ground for HNK Hajduk Split and a gathering place for fans from around the world. Beyond its role in football, Stadion Poljud is a testament to Croatia’s passion for sports and its commitment to creating enduring cultural landmarks.

Here we will discuss the main aspects that make this entire stadium such an important martyr not only to Split City but to Croatia as a whole. From its eye-catching roof structure spanning to the hidden details of this European gem, here we will show you the main curiosities and factors that make this venue one of the pinnacles of sports facilities in the world.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Poljud Stadium:

Table of Contents

• Exploring the Iconic Stadion Poljud: A Croatian Landmark
• Location and Construction of Croatia Stadion Poljud
• Curiosities and Facts About Stadion Poljud
• Take Your Football Passion Everywhere

Location and Construction of Croatia Stadion Poljud

As you might expect from its name, the stadium is located in Croatia, specifically in Split, a famous tourist spot with some of the most beautiful views in the country. Known as the city stadium, Poljud is located near the center of the municipality, with the overall structure of the stadium slightly beneath the road level. The privileged location and surrounding traffic roads create a unique landscape that can be observed from almost every room, from the official club offices to the west roof.

This fantastic architectural project began its construction in 1977 and took approximately two years to be completed, with its opening being the Mediterranean Games competition. Its original seating capacity was 55,000 fans from eastern to western stands, with an expanded capacity for events that didn’t use the entire field.

It is a work of art mixing reinforced concrete and technological elements with the natural beauty of the nearby hills to create a unique look that catches anyone’s attention.

Curiosities and Facts About Stadion Poljud

Now, we will show you some of the main aspects you probably didn’t know about this unique venue that attracts people worldwide. The stadium is composed of different elements that make it the perfect venue for hosting all kinds of events, and we will show you the main ones here.

Make sure to take a look at each item below to become an expert on the matter and understand how cultural heritage and technology meet each other to create this unique construction. Here are the main details about Poljud Stadium and its structure:

Home to Two Teams

As you might know, Poljud is officially recognized as the home of Hajduk Split, the city’s official football team and one of the main competitors in European football. However, this arena does not represent only one team.

It is also home to ŽNK Hajduk, the female division from the same team. They are currently in the Croatian’s Woman First Football League and are one of Europe’s largest teams in this category.

The two teams share the stadium and its multiple areas, including the three gyms, trench holding office areas, and many other structures available at the arena. It is no surprise since they’re technically the same team, just two distinct divisions.

It is one of the most passionate teams you can find and every time they play at the arena, you can feel the fans’ energy and love for the sport. Whether when they score a goal or at any opportunity, the passion spreads across everyone in the arena.

Greek Inspiration

One of the most curious things about the architecture and design of the stadium’s structure is that it is highly inspired by ancient Greek theaters and their layout. This can be seen in the elements they choose and how the seats are organized throughout the eight staircases around the stadium. 

Even though some of these elements might be slightly hard to notice in the designed landscape and other business areas, you can tell that when you look at the seats. Architect Boris Magaš did an amazing job projecting this construction, adding subtle details that make this arena unlike any other.

The arena has a seashell-like format that became a trademark of this stadium and the prominent characteristic people think of when talking about Poljud. Another famous characteristic is the spanning roof measuring 206×47 meters.

Reporter Cabins

One detail that many people don’t think about when watching games is how reporters and camera operators manage to get those images and broadcast them directly from the arena. That is possible through the cabins available directly from inside the arena, equipped with all the gear necessary to make the entire operation.

On Stadion Poljud, there are 19 cabins dedicated to this, seven of them dedicated to TV broadcasting. All are connected to the central referee station, which filters the best moments and images to be broadcast. 

From there, TV reporters can take care of every step of the process, from image capturing to audio control. It is a complex task that is very fun to observe live if you’re attending the stadium.
This is not exclusive to this stadium; you can see these cabins everywhere in the sports world. They are entirely constructed for this purpose, with all the technology necessary to make it easy and deliver the best quality.

Virtual Tour

If you’ve ever wanted to explore Stadion Poljud, you can do it from the comfort of your home thanks to the virtual tour technology. The arena has a dedicated page for touring around the stadium and virtually observing each aspect of the structure.

From the roof structure and its curiosities to the landscape with greenery designated for pedestrians, the entire stadium can be explored for free. The platform also lets you zoom in and out so you won’t miss a single detail from the pitch or any other part.

You can do the tour by accessing Hajduk’s official website and exploring the Poljud 360º category. It’s a fun experience that you can do without having to fly to Croatia, and it’s totally free, so you won’t have any expenses.

The web page also has some accessibility features so you can enjoy the best experience possible, regardless of any particularity. These settings include audio tools and guided services so you can better understand how to use the platform.

Capacity Changes

Even though the stadium is fairly new and didn’t undergo any major changes or renovations, it did change the number of seats so visitors could enjoy the matches with the best experience it has to offer. When it opened in 1979, the arena’s original capacity was 55,000. Later, in the mid-80s, this capacity was extended to 62,000, allowing even more fans to enjoy the magic of the sport.

However, the most surprising is that the latest capacity change was during the 90s when the maximum number of visitors was reduced by half. That happened due to the installation of seats throughout the arena, bringing the total number of seats to a little under 34,000. Reducing the capacity was necessary to provide the best experience possible to the fans and give them a comfortable time when watching games, matches, or any event on the field.

Tartan Track

One of the coolest additions to this stadium was the running track built around the football pitch, also known as the tartan track. This addition allowed the arena to host some athletics competitions and events, increasing its versatility.

This operation was done mainly for the 2010 IAAF Continental Cup of Athletics, but the structure was kept and is now part of Poljud. This resulted in the arena being used for more competitions of this kind throughout the years.

The Tartan Track is also a trademarked product for all kinds of weather conditions. It is manufactured by 3M and is mainly made of polyurethane. It began being manufactured back in 1967 and is still an industry standard used in most competition tracks around the world.

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