Schalke's iconic Parkstadion in Gelsenkirchen, once a magnificent 62,000-seater stadium, now stands abandoned and unrecognisable. This venue, which had a greater capacity than Anfield and the Emirates, hosted the first leg of the 1997 UEFA Cup final between Schalke 04 and Inter Milan. The German side secured a 1-0 victory at home before triumphing on penalties in Italy after a 1-1 aggregate draw.
A Giant of Its Day
Parkstadion was Schalke's home from 1973 to 2001. Construction was approved by Gelsenkirchen's city council in 1967, and the first match was a friendly against Feyenoord. It hosted five matches during the 1974 World Cup, which West Germany won, and two group stage matches in Euro 1988. Beyond football, the stadium welcomed music legends: Michael Jackson performed there during his Bad World Tour in 1988, followed by The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd.
Decline and Abandonment
By the 1990s, Parkstadion was outdated. Renovations in 1998 increased capacity to 62,004, but issues like distant stands and lack of cover persisted. Schalke moved to the modern Veltins Arena in 2001, leaving Parkstadion to decay. The last competitive match was in May 2001, a 5-3 win over SpVgg Unterhaching, but title hopes were dashed by a last-minute Bayern Munich equaliser elsewhere.
From Dereliction to New Life
After Schalke's departure, Parkstadion was partially demolished by 2008, with its jumbotron donated to a stadium in Aue. Aerial photos showed the stands in a derelict state. However, Schalke later launched a redevelopment project to transform the area into a high-tech campus for their youth academy. Since 2020, the site has been partially reconstructed, featuring a scaled-down 2,999-capacity stadium, a preserved section of original concrete terracing, and a single floodlight mast saved by fans. It reopened for competitive matches in summer 2020, now serving as the home ground for Schalke's Under-23 and youth academy teams, honouring the club's rich history.
