Features
DOM 26.07.2015
- The exact dates of its construction are not known, or even its official opening, however it is a recorded fact that it is the oldest stadium in Spain.
- The first documented evidence of its existence and any activity can be found in an article dating the 20th of May 1908. It was published in the local daily newspaper El Comercio
- The stadium owes its name to a large water mill which used to occupy the area where the stadium now stands. The water mill was powered by the water from the river Molin, a tributary of the Piles. Additionally, its owner was a British citizen about whom little is known.
- R. Sporting first began using it as their official pitch in 1915, and the first game played there was in 1917, between the Asturian side and Arenas Club.
- It was one of the stadiums chosen to host the Football World Cup in 1982.
- The first time the Spanish national team played in the stadium was against Italy on the 22nd of April 1928, the match finishing in a 1-1 draw. Since then the national team have visited the Molinon on nine further occasions.
- This historic stadium has hosted numerous concerts by international artists such as Tina Turner (1990), Sting (1991), Bruce Springsteen (1993, 2003 and 2013), The Rolling Stones (1995), Bon Jovi (1996) and Paul McCartney (2004).
- In collaboration with the artist Joaquin Vaquero Turcios the stadium underwent a complete renovation in 2006 which modified its external appearance along with improving the facilities.
- The Molinon is a category 3 UEFA stadium.
- The stadium introduced its own private tour on March 28th 2015, calling it ‘The Molinon Tour, more than Football’.
© LALIGA - 2015