ABSTRACT
The book focuses on the diversity of ‘Stadium Worlds’. On the one hand, it
sketches continuities regarding the development, built structure, use and world-
wide spread of stadia, which have, since the days of antiquity, enjoyed periods of
glory as fighting arenas, sports complexes, meeting places or places of political
representation. On the other hand, the intention is to determine those specific
features by which current stadium buildings and their uses are different from
their historical predecessors. In this context, the stadium will always be viewed
not only as a built, but also as a social space, connected to specific social norms
and practices, where not only characteristics of national and local cultures but
also global economic developments, as well as media and design trends congre-
gate and are expressed.
