Strahov Stadium Prague – Former venue for mass gymnastics

Look at the Strahov Stadium in a Strahov district and a lot of adjectives will come to your mind: old, megalomaniac, strange, incredible and insane. It's unbelievable, but it used to be one of the biggest stadiums in the world. If the stadium could speak, we would be blown away by the stories of its life.

Have you ever heard of the Spartakiad? The event comprised several thousand gymnasts performing synchronized formations. It was possible to see it every five years live or on TV from 1955 to 1985. I always try to imagine how it was organized. The Strahov stadium, with a capacity of 250,000 spectators, has a field three times bigger than the standard football pitch.

A few months after the Velvet revolution, it hosted The Rolling Stones and other great music names over the next ten years. Strahov Stadium isn't in good condition anymore. It is partially rented by dozens of sports companies and is used as a training center for AC Sparta Prague football club. The stadium has been protected by UNESCO since 2003.

You can get there easily by bus 143 or 149 from bus/tram stop Prašná brána and then get off at Stadion Strahov bus stop. It is also accessible by a short walk from Petřín funicular. The stadium overlooks the city from Petřín Hill. Strahov dormitory of the Czech Technical University is right next to it. The area is not abandoned and is safe during the day.