Hardturm Stadium

In 1934, the Hardturm suffered a devastating fire in the stands, which also destroyed the GC archives. The new construction followed.

As a major project for a new Zurich stadium failed, the Hardturm became a World Cup stadium in 1954. A new west stand was built and the capacity increased to 35,000 spectators. The newly built stand was named after coach Willi Treml. _{Extract from the book «Grasshoppers - Fussball in Zürich seit 1886 (www.gc-buch.ch)»}

_{Aerial view of the Hardturm Stadium in Zurich, taken in May 1954.}

_{View of the Treml grandstand of the Hardturm Stadium, built in the 1950s.}

Around 1980, the idea of a new Hardturm Stadium was born, which was to be built in four stages. The aim was a modern stadium with 38,000 spectators and many covered stands and VIP boxes. The first thing to be completed in 1985 was a new opposing stand (south). One year later, the new east stand was opened, just in time for the 100th anniversary of Grasshopper Club Zürich.

^{Aerial view in 1980, before the new south and east stands were built.}

^{Aerial view in 1985, after the construction of the opposing stand.}

^{Picture from 1993, the new opposing stand (right) and Estrade Ost (center).}

In 1998, the new west stand was finally completed in the third stage, replacing the previous Treml stand. The stadium now had 25,000 covered seats. This was also the last stand, as the fourth stage of the project, namely the construction of a new main stand, was never completed. Instead, the first discussions about a completely new building emerged in the 1990s.

^{The newly built west stand in 1998}

^{A worker uses a jackhammer on the west stand of Zurich's Hardturm Stadium on Monday, June 23, 1997.}

^{The Hardturm Stadium in its final form.}

Since its demolition, the Hardturm Stadium no longer exists. What remains are the memories of one of the most legendary stadiums in Swiss football. And the longing to return to GC's home ground.