Stadionul Giulești-Valentin Stănescu (1939)

Giulești-Valentin Stănescu Stadium was a football stadium in Bucharest, Romania. It was the home stadium of FC Rapid București for almost 80 years.

It was named after Valentin Stănescu, the coach that helped Rapid to win its first title, but was most commonly known as the "Giulești Stadium", after the name of the neighborhood in which it was located. Landmarks near the stadium include Podul Grant, Giulești Theatre and Prunaru market. Gara de Nord is not far away from the stadium and the Grivița Railway Yards are right next to it.

The stadium was entirely demolished in 2019, and has been replaced with the Rapid Arena, a new all-seater stadium that opened in 2022.

History

Construction started in the 1936 and the stadium was inaugurated on 10 June 1939. At the time, it was the most modern stadium in Romania, a smaller replica of Arsenal's Highbury Stadium, with a capacity of 12,160 seats. Among the guests at the opening ceremony were King Carol II of Romania, Prince Mihai of Romania and Prince Paul of Greece. It was noted for its Art Deco architecture and quickly became a symbol of the working-class Giulești neighborhood. It escaped systematization attempts from 1975 to 1990.

Replacement of the north stand was completed in the mid-1990s, increasing the capacity to 19,100 seats. The stadium was renovated again in 2003.

Since the summer of 2004, the stadium had been administered by Rapid București. Its capacity was restricted to 11,704 seats due to safety concerns regarding parts of the stadium.

On 24 November 2018 the stadium was closed for demolition, with a new ground planned to take its place. The last match played in the Giulești Stadium was between FC Rapid București and Înainte Modelu, which Rapid won 1-0.

On 10 January 2019 the demolition process began. It was completed on 7 May 2019.

Romania national football team

The following national team matches were held in the stadium:

#	Date	Score	Opponent	Competition
1.	28 April 2004	5–1	{{safesubst: Template:Yesno	alias = Germany	flag alias = Flag of Germany.svg	flag alias-1866 = Flag of the German Empire.svg	link alias-1866 = German Empire	flag alias-empire = Flag of the German Empire.svg	link alias-empire = German Empire	flag alias-1919 = Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg	link alias-1919 = Weimar Republic	flag alias-Weimar = Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg	link alias-Weimar = Weimar Republic	flag alias-1933 = Flag of Germany (1933-1935).svg	flag alias-1935 = Flag of Germany (1935–1945).svg	link alias-1935 = Nazi Germany	flag alias-Nazi = Flag of Germany (1935–1945).svg	link alias-Nazi = Nazi Germany	flag alias-1946 = Merchant flag of Germany (1946–1949).svg	border-1946 =	flag alias-1949 = Flag of Germany.svg	flag alias-EUA = German Olympic flag (1959-1968).svg	flag alias-gold = Flag of West Germany; Flag of Germany (1990–1996).svg	flag alias-state = Flag of Germany (state).svg	link alias-military = Bundeswehr	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Germany.svg	border-naval =	link alias-naval = German Navy	flag alias-coast guard=German Federal Coast Guard racing stripe.svg	border-coast guard=	link alias-coast guard=German Federal Coast Guard	flag alias-army = Colour of Germany.svg	flag alias-air force =Flag of Germany (state).svg	link alias-air force = German Air Force	link alias-army = German Army	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Germany.svg	link alias-navy = German Navy	border-navy =	border-army=	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || Friendly match
2.	4 September 2004	2–1	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Finland	flag alias = Flag of Finland.svg	flag alias-grand duchy = Flag of Russia.svg	flag alias-1809 = Flag of Russia.svg	flag alias-1917 = Flag of Finland 1918 (state).svg	flag alias-1918 = Flag of Finland (1918-1920).svg	flag alias-1920 = Flag of Finland.svg	flag alias-state = Flag of Finland (state).svg	flag alias-state-1918 = Flag of Finland 1918-1920 (State).svg	flag alias-state-1920 = Flag of Finland 1920-1978 (State).svg	flag alias-naval = Military Flag of Finland.svg	border-naval =	flag alias-naval-1918 = Flag of Finland 1918-1920 (Military).svg	border-naval-1918 =	flag alias-naval-1920 = Flag of Finland 1920-1978 (Military).svg	border-naval-1920 =	link alias-naval = Finnish Navy	flag alias-navy = Naval Jack of Finland.svg	link alias-navy = Finnish Navy	link alias-air force = Finnish Air Force	flag alias-military = Military flag of Finland.svg	link alias-military = Finnish Defence Forces	flag alias-army = Military flag of Finland.svg	link alias-army = Finnish Army	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.	26 March 2005	0–2	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Netherlands	flag alias = Flag of the Netherlands.svg	flag alias-prinsengeus = Naval Jack of the Netherlands.svg	flag alias-army =Flag of the Royal Netherlands Army.svg	flag alias-air force=Flag of the Royal Netherlands Air Force.svg	link alias-air force= Royal Netherlands Air Force	link alias-army= Royal Netherlands Army	flag alias-naval = Flag of the Netherlands.svg	link alias-naval = Royal Netherlands Navy	flag alias-navy = Naval Jack of the Netherlands.svg	link alias-navy=Royal Netherlands Navy	flag alias-marines = Naval Jack of the Netherlands.svg	link alias-marines = Netherlands Marine Corps	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.	3 June 2011	3–0	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Bosnia and Herzegovina	flag alias = Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg	flag alias-1992 = Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992–1998).svg	link alias-army = Bosnian Ground Forces	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying

Gallery

• View of the North End from the Main Stand Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  View of the North End from the Main Stand
• View of the Second Stand from the Main Stand Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  View of the Second Stand from the Main Stand
• View of the Second Stand from the North End Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  View of the Second Stand from the North End
• View of the Main Stand from the Second Stand Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  View of the Main Stand from the Second Stand
• View of the stadium from the South End Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  View of the stadium from the South End
• North End in 2012. Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  North End in 2012.
• Main Stand in 2012. Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
  Main Stand in 2012.

See also

• List of football stadiums in Romania

External links

• Giulești Stadium
• Stadium pictures