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| Location | Fontvieille, Monaco |
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| Built | early 1980s (current) |
| Opened | 1939 (original) May 11, 1985 (current) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Capacity | 18,500 (all-seater) |
| Tenants | |
| AS Monaco Monaco national football team |
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The Stade Louis II is a stadium located in the Fontvieille district of Monaco. It serves as a venue for both football, being the home of AS Monaco as well as the location of the annual UEFA Super Cup match, and athletics, where it plays host to the IAAF World Athletics Final (though certain events, such as the hammer, have to be held elsewhere, due to the stadium's relatively small capacity).
The original Stade Louis II was opened in 1939 as the home of AS Monaco. The new stadium was built in the early 1980s, close to the site of the old stadium on land reclaimed from the sea, opening fully in 1985. It presently has a capacity of approximately 18,500 all seated, which is quite large relative to the population of Monaco (ca.32,000), making it possible to fit around 60% of the country's population, making Monaco the only country capable of such thing. The vast majority of the stadium's facilities are located underground, with a large car park directly under the pitch (something that has caused some degree of criticism from managers of AS Monaco's opponents in the past over the state of the pitch).
The Stadium is named after Louis II, Prince of Monaco, who was the Sovereign Prince of Monaco when the original stadium was built. It features prominently in the early versions of Pro Evolution Soccer.
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Explosion
On May 31, 2004, an explosion, apparently deliberate, caused damage to the Stade Louis II and a neighbouring building, La Ruche, Fontvieille. No injuries were reported and responsibility for the attack remained unclear. The damage, while relatively extensive to portions of the fabric of the buildings, was verified as not having affected the buildings' respective structures. On June 1 the Government of Monaco announced that it would assume responsibility for repairs to the damage caused by the explosion, without preempting the results of expert investigations, which continued. This explosion constituted a rare exception to Monaco's long-established reputation for safety and absence of violence.
IUM
Stade Louis II, containing a large office complex, also houses the International University of Monaco (IUM), which specializes in business education.
See also
Coordinates: 43°43′39.38″N 7°24′56.21″E / 43.7276056°N 7.4156139°E
External links
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