Taksim Stadium

Taksim Stadium
Taksim Stadium in 1923
Map
LocationTaksim, Istanbul
Coordinates41°02′13″N 28°59′06″E / 41.0370°N 28.9851°E / 41.0370; 28.9851
Capacity8,000
Construction
BuiltTaksim Military Barracks
Opened1921
Closed1939
Demolished1940

Taksim Stadium (Turkish: Taksim Stadı) was the first football stadium in Istanbul, Turkey. Originally the 19th century Taksim Artillery Barracks (Taksim Topçu Kışlası) it was transformed into a stadium in 1921 and was located next to today's Taksim Square.[1] The ground was the home of all major football clubs in Istanbul, including Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş. The stadium had a seating capacity of around 8,000. It was closed in 1939 and demolished in 1940, during the formation of Taksim Square. The site was converted to a public park, named the Taksim Gezi Parkı.[2]

The first game of the Turkey national team was played at the Taksim Stadium against Romania on October 26, 1923, and ended in a 2–2 draw, with both goals of Turkey scored by Zeki Rıza Sporel.[3][4]

References

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  1. ^ WowTurkey.com: Taksim Artillery Barracks (later Taksim Stadium)
  2. ^ Kırca, Ali (2005). "Bu bina nerede?" (in Turkish). Arkitera.com. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
  3. ^ Who is who database - Sabih Arca (1901 - 1981). 2009. (in Turkish)
  4. ^ Turkish Football Federation: History of the Turkish National Football Team (in Turkish)