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Pärnu Rannastaadion
Pärnu Rannastaadion (English: Pärnu Beach Stadium) is a multi-purpose stadium in Pärnu, Estonia. It is the home ground of football clubs Pärnu Vaprus and PJK. The stadium was opened after reconstruction in 2016 and seats 1,501. It is located next to the Pärnu Beach and approximately 200 metres from the sea. First opened in 1929, the stadium has had four different grandstands throughout its history and was completely reconstructed in 2015–2016. The address of the stadium is Ranna pst. 2, 80012 Pärnu.[2] HistoryFirst sporting activities on Pärnu Rannastaadion's field date back to 1896, when a velodrome was opened by the association of German cyclists. The velodrome was destroyed in 1915 by Russian soldiers, who dug trenches on the sports field to repel a possible German landing.[3] After Estonia gained independence, a committee was established to make plans for a stadium.  The stadium was officially opened on 14 July 1929. The wooden grandstand, which was also built to host singing festivals, was able to seat around 700 people and was labelled as the 'finest of the Baltic states' due to its neoclassical architecture.[4] However, the grandstand was set on fire on 9 February 1933 and the perpetrators were never caught.[3]  Five months later, on 9 July 1933, a new and larger grandstand was opened. Designed by architect Olev Siinmaa, the stadium building has later been considered as one of the best examples of 1930s wooden functionalism in Estonia.[5][6] The stadium survived World War II and hosted numerous post-war Pärnumaa Song Festivals, before the historic grandstand was demolished in 1981 and the stadium's ownership was transferred to Sports Association Kalev, who renamed the stadium as Pärnu Kalevi staadion and opened a new grandstand in 1987. Kalev however struggled with the stadium's maintenance and the complex was soon left in particularly bad condition. In 2012, the City of Pärnu revoked Kalev's rights for the stadium[7] and held a design competition for a new grandstand, which was won by KAMP Arhitektid.[8] The stadium was renamed Pärnu Rannastaadion and the reconstruction began in July 2015.  Pärnu Rannastaadion was reopened on 9 July 2016 after extensive renovation works. With a total cost of 5.62 million euros, the new stadium complex also facilitates a hostel, gym, seminar rooms and a restaurant. The stadium was awarded the 2016 Union of Estonian Architects award for its outstanding architecture.[9] On 31 August 2016, Pärnu Rannastaadion hosted the Estonia national football team after a 17-year break, when they drew 1–1 with Malta in a friendly match. Since 2021, Pärnu has also hosted numerous UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying matches of Paide Linnameeskond. Galleries
Estonia national team matchesPärnu has hosted four Estonia national football team matches.[10]
Athletics recordsUpdated on 6 June 2021.[11][12] MenWomenReferences
External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pärnu Rannastaadion. 58°22′28.82″N 24°30′12.46″E / 58.3746722°N 24.5034611°E
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