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Wembley Stadium (officially known as the Empire Stadium) was a football stadium in Wembley, London, England, that stood on the site now occupied by the New Wembley Stadium, opened in 2007. It was famous for hosting the annual FA Cup finals, five European Cup finals, the 1948 Summer Olympics, the 1966 World Cup Final, the final of Euro 96, Queen's Magic Tour, the 1985 Live Aid concert, and both the 1992 and 1995 Rugby League World Cup Finals. Of Wembley Stadium, Pelé said, "Wembley is the cathedral of football. It is the capital of football and it is the heart of football"〔 (Mayor of London – Case for Wembley Stadium )〕 in recognition of its status as the world's best-known football stadium. The twin towers were an icon for England and Wembley, and their demolition in 2003 upset many members of the public.〔 〕 Debris from the Old Wembley Stadium was used to make the award-winning Northala Fields in Northolt, Ealing. ==History== The stadium's first turf was cut by King George V, and it was first opened to the public on 28 April 1923. First known as the British Empire Exhibition Stadium or simply Empire Stadium, it was built by Sir Robert McAlpine〔(Sir Robert McAlpine Project Archive )〕 for the British Empire Exhibition〔(Photograph of exhibition site )〕〔(Map of exhibition site )〕〔(Sunday Tribune of India (newspaper) ) Article on exhibition (2004)〕 of 1924 (extended to 1925).〔(British Pathe (agency) ) Film of British Empire Exhibition, reel one〕〔(British Pathe (agency) ) Film of British Empire Exhibition, reel two〕〔(British Pathe (agency) ) Film of British Empire Exhibition, reel three〕〔(British Pathe (agency) ) Film of British Empire Exhibition, reel four〕 The stadium cost £750,000, and was constructed on the site of an earlier folly called Watkin's Tower. The architects were Sir John Simpson and Maxwell Ayrton〔Sutcliffe, Anthony (2006). ''London: An Architectural History''. Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-11006-5. (p. 172 ) (via Google Books). Retrieved 4 February 2009.〕 and the Head Engineer Sir Owen Williams. It was originally intended to demolish the stadium at the end of the Exhibition, but it was saved at the suggestion of Sir James Stevenson, a Scot who was chairman of the organising committee for the Empire Exhibition. The ground had been used for football as early as the 1880s〔(). Wembley Stadium.〕 At the end of the exhibition, an entrepreneur Arthur Elvin (later to become Sir Arthur Elvin) started buying the derelict buildings one by one, demolishing them, and selling off the scrap. The stadium had gone into liquidation, after it was pronounced "financially unviable". Elvin offered to buy the stadium for £127,000, using a £12,000 downpayment and the balance plus interest payable over ten years.〔Jacobs, N and Lipscombe, P (2005). ''Wembley Speedway: The Pre-War Years''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-3750-X.〕 After complications following the death of James White, the original Stadium owner, Elvin bought Wembley Stadium from the new owners, (Wembley Company) at the original price, since they honoured Elvin's original deal. They then immediately bought it back from Elvin, leaving him with a healthy profit. Instead of cash he received shares, which gave him the largest stake in Wembley Stadium and he became chairman.〔 The electric scoreboard and the all encircling roof, made from aluminium and translucent glass, were added in 1963. The stadium's distinctive Twin Towers became its trademark and nickname. Also well known were the thirty-nine steps needed to be climbed to reach the Royal box and collect a trophy (and winners'/losers' medals). Wembley was the first pitch to be referred to as "Hallowed Turf", with many stadia around the world borrowing this phrase. In 1934, the Empire Pool was built nearby. The 'Wembley Stadium Collection' is held by the National Football Museum. The stadium closed in October 2000, and demolition commenced in December 2002, completing in 2003 for redevelopment. The top of one of the twin towers was erected as a memorial in the park on the north side of Overton Close in the Saint Raphael's Estate. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Wembley Stadium (1923)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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