Gerhard Hanappi Stadium

The Gerhard Hanappi Stadium was built in the Hütteldorf district of western Vienna as the new home for SK Rapid Wien, one of Austria's most historic and successful football clubs, replacing the club's previous home, the Pfarrwiese, which had served from 1912 to 1977. The stadium was designed by Gerhard Hanappi, a legendary Austrian footballer who played for Rapid Wien and the Austrian national team, and was one of the greatest players in Austrian history. Hanappi was also a qualified architect, and designed the stadium during his post-playing career, making it one of the few major stadiums designed by a former professional footballer. The stadium was officially opened in 1977 as the 'Weststadion' (Western stadium), reflecting its location in the west of Vienna. In 1980, following Hanappi's death, the stadium was renamed in his honour, becoming the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium. Among Rapid fans, the stadium was affectionately known as 'Sankt Hanappi' (Saint Hanappi), a reference to the famous Rapid fan slogan 'Rapid ist uns're Religion' (Rapid is our religion), which elevated the stadium to a quasi-religious status among supporters. The stadium had a capacity of 18,500 and was known for its intimate, atmospheric design, with the stands close to the pitch, creating a formidable environment for visiting teams. The stadium was the home of Rapid Wien during some of the club's most memorable European campaigns, including their run to the 1985 European Cup Winners' Cup final, where they lost to Everton at Rotterdam's De Kuip, and the 1996 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final, where they lost to Paris Saint-Germain in Brussels. The stadium was also the site of the famous Vienna derby between Rapid Wien and FK Austria Wien, one of the most passionate and historic rivalries in European football. By the 2010s, the aging stadium was considered outdated, and the club began planning a new, modern stadium to meet UEFA and Bundesliga standards. Rapid Wien played their final match at the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium in 2013, before moving to the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in the Prater as a temporary home during construction of the new stadium. The Gerhard Hanappi Stadium was demolished in 2014, and the new Allianz Stadion was built on the same site, opening on 16 July 2016 with a friendly match against Chelsea. The Allianz Stadion preserved the legacy of the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium as the home of Rapid Wien in Hütteldorf, while providing a modern, state-of-the-art facility for the club's future.

The Gerhard Hanappi Stadium was designed by Gerhard Hanappi, a legendary Austrian footballer who played for Rapid Wien and the Austrian national team, making it one of the few major stadiums in the world designed by a former professional footballer. Hanappi was a qualified architect in addition to being one of Austria's greatest players, and designed the stadium during his post-playing career. The stadium was originally called the 'Weststadion' (Western stadium) when it opened in 1977, reflecting its location in the west of Vienna, and was renamed in 1980 to honour Hanappi after his death. Among Rapid fans, the stadium was affectionately known as 'Sankt Hanappi' (Saint Hanappi), a reference to the famous fan slogan 'Rapid ist uns're Religion' (Rapid is our religion), which gave the stadium a quasi-religious status among supporters. The stadium was the home of Rapid Wien during two of their most memorable European campaigns, the 1985 European Cup Winners' Cup final, where they lost to Everton, and the 1996 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final, where they lost to Paris Saint-Germain. The stadium was the site of the famous Vienna derby between Rapid Wien and FK Austria Wien, one of the most passionate and historic rivalries in European football, with the two clubs being the oldest and most successful in Austrian football. The stadium had a capacity of 18,500 and was known for its intimate, atmospheric design, with the stands close to the pitch, creating a formidable environment for visiting teams. After the stadium was demolished in 2014, Rapid Wien played their home games at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Austria's national stadium, during the construction of the new Allianz Stadion. The new Allianz Stadion opened on 16 July 2016 with a friendly match against Chelsea, preserving the legacy of the Gerhard Hanappi Stadium as the home of Rapid Wien in Hütteldorf.