S.Darius and S.Girenas Stadium
Encyclopedia
S. Darius and S. Girėnas Stadium is a multi-use stadium in the Ąžuolynas
park in Žaliakalnis
district of Kaunas
, Lithuania
. The all-seater stadium holds 8,248. 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 first stadium in this place was established by Steponas Darius
in 1923, and completed in 1925. 1935-1936 the stadium was renovated and named the State Stadium. 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 Lithuania national football team
and football club FBK Kaunas
.
July 2010 talks began, that the stadium is the cheapest to modernize and to be used as National footbal stadium for another 5 years to come. Two thirds of the renovation costs were proposed to be provided by Lithuanian Football Federation
.
Ažuolynas
Ąžuolynas is a public park in Lithuania's second largest city, Kaunas, in the Žaliakalnis neighbourhood. The park covers about 63 hectares and is the largest urban stand of mature oaks in Europe. Vydūnas Alley serves as the park's northern border. It is a popular recreational destination for the...
park in Žaliakalnis
Žaliakalnis
Žaliakalnis is an elderate in Lithuania's second largest city, Kaunas. Žaliakalnis is located north of the old town and the downtown area, between the Neris and Girstupis rivers...
district of Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
. The all-seater stadium holds 8,248. In 1998 the stadium was renovated according to UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
regulations, and in 2005 it was modernised with the installation of the biggest stadium television screen in the Baltic states
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
.
The first stadium in this place was established by Steponas Darius
Steponas Darius
Steponas Darius was a Lithuanian-American pilot....
in 1923, and completed in 1925. 1935-1936 the stadium was renovated and named the State Stadium. Starting in 1969 the stadium underwent another reconstruction that lasted for 10 years until August 1979. Wooden tribunes were replaced with reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
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
Stasys Girenas
Stasys Girėnas was a Lithuanian-American pilot....
, 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 Lithuania national football team
Lithuania national football team
The national football team of Lithuania is under the auspices of the Lithuanian Football Federation. It played its first match in 1923. In 1940, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union; the country regained its independence in 1990 and played their first match as a new nation against Georgia on...
and football club FBK Kaunas
FBK Kaunas
Kauno futbolo beisbolo klubas is a Lithuanian football club from the city of Kaunas, that currently plays in the A Lyga, the top level of Lithuanian football.- History :...
.
July 2010 talks began, that the stadium is the cheapest to modernize and to be used as National footbal stadium for another 5 years to come. Two thirds of the renovation costs were proposed to be provided by Lithuanian Football Federation
Lithuanian Football Federation
The Lithuanian Football Federation is the governing body of football in Lithuania. The Federation is responsible for football development in the country and for the national teams, including the Lithuania national football team. It is based in Vilnius. LFF became a member of FIFA in 1923, but...
.