Darius and Girėnas Stadium
Ąžuolynas stadium
UEFA
Full nameDariaus ir Girėno stadionas
Former namesValstybinis stadionas
Stepono Dariaus ir Stasio Girėno stadionas
AddressPerkūno al. 5
LocationKaunas, Lithuania
Coordinates54°53′50″N 23°56′13″E / 54.89722°N 23.93694°E / 54.89722; 23.93694
OwnerKaunas City Municipality
OperatorKauno sporto mokykla „Startas“ (temporary)
Capacity12,000 (1979–1998)
9,180 (1998–2022)
15,315 (2022–present)[1]
Field size105 m × 68 m (344 ft × 223 ft)
SurfaceDesso GrassMaster hybrid grass
Construction
Built1923–1925
Opened1925
Renovated1998, 2005
Expanded1935–1936, 1969–1979, 2018–2022
ArchitectSteponas Darius, Kęstutis Bulota (1936)
Algimantas Alekna (1979)
Tenants
FK Kauno Žalgiris (2013–2018, 2022–present)
Lithuanian national football team (1936–2013; 2022–present)
Athletics Federation of Lithuania
FBK Kaunas (?–2015)
FC Stumbras (2015–2018)

Darius and Girėnas stadium (Lithuanian: Dariaus ir Girėno stadionas) is a multi-use stadium in Kaunas, Lithuania. With a seating capacity of 15,315, it is the largest stadium in Lithuania and the Baltic states.[2] Located in the Ąžuolynas park in Žaliakalnis district, it serves as a venue for football matches, athletic competitions, and other events. In 1998, the stadium was renovated according to UEFA regulations, and in 2005, it was modernised with the installation of the biggest stadium television screen in the Baltic states. The latest renovation started in 2018 and ended in 2022. During the sporting season, at least 50 events are held here annually.

History

The stadium from the inside in 2022
Stadium before reconstruction in 2018

The first stadium in this place was designed and established by Steponas Darius and Kęstutis Bulota in 1923, and completed in 1925. In 1935–1936, the stadium was renovated and named the State Stadium (Lithuanian: Valstybinis stadionas). Starting in 1969 the stadium underwent another reconstruction that lasted for 10 years until August 1979. Wooden tribunes were replaced with reinforced concrete structures and placed in a half circle.

After Lithuania regained independence, in 1993 the stadium was named after the Lithuanian pilots Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas, who perished in a crash near the end of an attempted non-stop flight from New York to Lithuania. The site is currently the home ground of the football club FK Kauno Žalgiris. It is a part of the S. Darius and S. Girėnas sport center, which also includes the nearby Kaunas Sports Hall, built in 1939.

On 23 November 2021, the informal shortening Darius and Girėnas Stadium officially replaced the former name, eliminating the pilots' first names from the label.[3]

Reconstruction

In July 2010, talks began that modernizing the stadium is the cheapest option for Lithuania to develop a football stadium that could host international matches.[4] Two thirds of the renovation costs were proposed to be provided by Lithuanian Football Federation. Despite many initiatives to launch the renovation from various groups no actual actions were started, as an agreement for funding and project specifications could not be achieved.[5]

Another attempt to revitalize the stadium was started in February 2016 by the newly elected Kaunas City Municipality which adopted a plan to revamp major sport infrastructure in Kaunas.[6] Early proposals suggested that the seating capacity should be expanded to 12,500–20,000 roof-covered seats, under-soil heating installed, and stadium should reach Category 4 of UEFA stadium classification.[7][8][9]

On 18 August 2017, the reconstruction project was officially presented to the public. After the reconstruction, the stadium will have seating capacity of 15,315 for sport events and up to 30,000 for concerts and other events.[10] On 15 June 2018, Kayı Construction and Kaunas City Municipality signed the reconstruction contract. The stadium was re-opened with the 2022 Lithuanian Football Cup final on 16 October 2022.[11] The reconstruction cost 43 million euros.[12] The stadium now has Desso GrassMaster surface and is completely covered with a roof over the stands.[13]

Concerts

List of concerts at Darius and Girėnas Stadium, showing date, artist, tour and attendance
Date Artist Tour Attendance
26 August 2023 Lithuania Sel SEL Stadium Concert 35,000[14][15][16]
3 August 2024 United Kingdom Ed Sheeran +–=÷× Tour —
4 August 2024 —

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Pristatytas S.Dariaus ir S.Girėno stadiono rekonstrukcijos projektas: kalbos baigėsi, prasideda darbai". 18 August 2017.
  2. ↑ "Kaunas completes construction of Lithuania's largest stadium". lrt.lt. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  3. ↑ Šileikė, Edita (23 November 2021). "Pritarta: bus keičiamas S. Dariaus ir S. Girėno stadiono pavadinimas". Diena Media News (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  4. ↑ "Kaunui veriasi galimybė turėti nacionalinį futbolo stadioną". Vakarų Ekspresas (in Lithuanian). 2 July 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  5. ↑ Anilionytė, Jūratė (6 January 2012). "Nesutariama, kas rengs ir apmokės Kauno stadiono rekonstrukcijos projektą". DELFI (in Lithuanian). LTV „Panorama“. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  6. ↑ "Vasario 23-sios Kauno miesto savivaldybės tarybos posėdis" (in Lithuanian). Vieningas Kaunas. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  7. ↑ Garnienė, Aušra (23 March 2016). "Merdinčiam S.Dariaus ir S.Girėno stadionui – gaivinimo planas". Kauno diena (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  8. ↑ "Rekonstrukcijos laukiantis Kauno S.Dariaus ir S.Girėno stadionas turės šildomą dangą". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  9. ↑ "Kaunas stadium gets UEFA Category 4, ready to host top-level matches". lrt.lt. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  10. ↑ Stažytė, Karolina (18 August 2017). "Pristatytas S.Dariaus ir S.Girėno stadiono rekonstrukcijos projektas: kalbos baigėsi, prasideda darbai". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  11. ↑ "Kauno stadionas atidarytas švilpimu: LFF taurės finale kovoja "Žalgiris" ir "Hegelmann"". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 16 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  12. ↑ "Kulminacija: Kaune atidarytas Dariaus ir Girėno stadionas". Kauno diena (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  13. ↑ Stažytė, Karolina (15 June 2018). "Kauno stadiono rekonstrukcijos įdomybės: veja prilygs "Camp Nou" ar "Old Trafford"". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  14. ↑ "„SEL" apie planuojamą koncertą Kaune: bus panašu į pasaką". Kauno diena (in Lithuanian). 7 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  15. ↑ DELFI.lt (27 August 2023). "Kauną sudrebino įspūdingiausias iki šiol „SEL" šou: pamatykite grandiozinio koncerto akimirkas". www.DELFI.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  16. ↑ https://kauno.diena.lt/naujienos/kaunas/miesto-pulsas/metai-po-dariaus-ir-gireno-stadiono-rekonstrukcijos-kaunas-vilioja-pasaulines-zvaigzdes-1146507
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