We all know about Wembley’s legendary events and iconic arch, but there’s so much more to the stadium than meets the eye. Here are some fun facts about Wembley Stadium!
There are so many reasons to love Wembley Stadium. Some of those Wembley Stadium facts you probably already know: Wembley is the largest football stadium and music venue in the UK and attracts some of the biggest events in the world, with over 2 million visitors a year. From hosting some of the biggest and best sporting events (including UEFA Champions League Finals in 2011 and 2013, Gold medal matches at the 2012 Olympic Games, England internationals, NFL, and much more) to legendary musical performances (think Queen, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Adele, Ed Sheeran, etc.), Wembley has witnessed some of the biggest cultural events in world history.
But there’s much more to the stadium than what meets the eye. Some fun Wembley Stadium facts include:
- When was Wembley Stadium Built?
This is not the first Wembley stadium. A different stadium was built in 1923 with white twin towers that stood where the new Wembley Stadium stands today. The demolition of the old Wembley in 2003 was controversial at the time, but Wembley today, with its iconic arch, has won everyone over.
- Wembley Stadium is one of the biggest stadiums in Europe
It’s said that the stadium could fit 25,000 double-decker buses! That’s how huge it is, with 90,000 seats and 2,618 toilets in total. The stadium has a circumference of 1km and its roof covers 11 acres. Wembley Stadium is the largest stadium in all of the UK, and there’s only one stadium bigger than Wembley in all of Europe.
- The Wembley Arch
This isn’t exactly a secret, but the iconic Wembley arch is massive. It is what you are first likely to see when within Wembley Park. It’s 143 metres tall, has a diameter of over 7 metres, and stretches 315 metres. It’s also extraordinarily strong, holding most of the roof’s weight. A train could travel through the arch without a problem (although we wouldn’t suggest you try it). Wondering, is Wembley Park a good place to live? Check out our blog covering this exact topic.
- An Eiffel Tower Imitation was found underneath Wembley
While excavating the area of Wembley Stadium in preparation for building, construction workers found the foundation of a tower that was meant to surpass the Eiffel Tower. Called Watkin’s Tower, it was designed to imitate the Eiffel Tower in style but be taller than the original. It was never completed due to safety and financial issues, but it would have stood right where the Wembley pitch is today.
- Does Wembley have a roof?
Wembley has a roof, but it’s very unique. It was important to create a roof that would accommodate all kinds of weather considerations while still looking beautiful and bringing in the sunshine when the weather was good. This is why it was decided to create a sliding roof for Wembley. It has two sections that can slide out to cover the east and west ends of the stadium whenever needed, which is very useful when it rains. When the weather is nice, however, the roof stays open.
Taking all of this into account, it’s no wonder that Ed Sheeran said that this was his favourite venue to play. And, by the way, he’ll be coming to perform at Wembley 3 times next year (and has 12 UK dates in total). For more recent Wembley stadium events coming up, check out Wembley Stadium’s official calendar of events.
Now that you have learned some fun Wembley Stadium facts, Vonder has an exciting announcement to make: we will be opening our living complex in Wembley on October 15! We’ll be providing the perfect all in one living solution there, taking co living London to a new level. You no longer have to deal with the headache of typical renting, since we provide beautiful, furnished apartments with in house amenities. But we offer so much more than that. We not only have a wide range of on-site amenities, from cafés and personal studios to a rooftop terrace and co-working office spaces, but we will also host community events. We make sure to provide you with a community right at home so that you don’t need to go searching for one. When you’re looking for the perfect place to live, Wembley has it all, take a look at our furnished flats to rent in Wembley to be in a city with the most incredible stadium in the world and the best neighbours in your building.
