Football Ground Map
Football Ground Map
If you are a sports fan, you might wonder what the biggest stadium in Australia is. If you guessed the Melbourne Cricket Ground, you are right.
That's right. The grand structure in Yarra Park, Melbourne beats them all. It is so great, in fact, that locals affectionately refer to it simply as "The G." So what is it that makes this stadium so special? Many things, it turns out. Everything from its construction to its history to its status as a national sports museum center make the famed MCG a special place, indeed.
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So, is the MCG the biggest stadium in Australia? Not only is it the largest stadium in Australia, it beats every other stadium in the Southern hemisphere in size. Cricket is indisputably the game of much of the southern world, and the MCG is its king. With a seating capacity of over 100,000, it even rivals the northern hemisphere's biggest stadiums in size.
Since the building's original construction in 1859 - originally as the home of Australian football - it has undergone a number of major renovations. It now boasts a new roof and a new atrium made of glass, giving it a sleek, modern look.
The Melbourne Cricket Club, the governing body of the city's team, has held an important position in the cricket world since its founding in the early 19th century. As the first club in Victoria, it was both the host to the first intra-Australian match - between Victoria and New South Wales - in 1856, and international teams.
In 1862, the MCC was the first Australian team to hold a match against England, and soon after that it managed to beat England in the first match that the two teams played in Test cricket. In 1992, it hosted the final of the World Cricket Cup.
The MCG has been the host of numerous major international sporting events, not only limited to cricket. Most significantly, it was the site of track and field at the 1956 Summer Olympics. This year marked the first time that an Olympics was held in the Southern hemisphere. It was a major achievement for the country and for the region.
The MCG also hosted the 2006 Commonwealth Games, which was another major achievement. At this point, the Melbourne stadium has solidified its status as one of the leading sports venues worldwide. If you are interested in betting on sports, you should check out the rich history of games that have taken place in the stadium.
As the name suggests, the MCG is the official home of the Melbourne Cricket Club. The Melbourne Cricket Club was founded in 1838, making it one of the oldest sports clubs in the country.
The MCG is home to more than just cricket, though. It also hosts Aussie Rules Football. In fact, it held this title even before that of the home of cricket. During its founding year of 1859, the then-Melbourne Cricket Club was the first to devise a set of rules for what it then referred to as "Victorian" football. This sport gradually morphed into the unique version of football that now proudly boasts the Australian name.
As the MCG has grown in stature, the government and national sports bodies installed the National Sports Gallery in it. It is now part of the larger National Sports Museum, which is the premier museum in the country dedicated to sports.
Within this impressive museum a whole range of sports is exhibited, including:
Also in the museum is the Australian Sports Hall of Fame, as well as the Australian Racing Museum.
As the MCG is located in the liveliest part of Melbourne, visitors have the advantage of enjoying other forms of entertainment, as well. Interested people can check out such sites as:
And as Melbourne is a very international city, guests can enjoy a wide range of restaurants and ethnic food shops, ranging from Chinese to Greek and more. It is widely considered one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, being both fully Australian and very multiethnic at the same time.
As the biggest stadium in Australia, the MCG is certainly a thing to behold. Considering its rich history, center of two major sports teams, and home of the nation's most important sports archives, it is definitely worth a visit when you are in the city. Be sure to book your tickets in advance, though, as the MCG's popularity means that they tend to sell out fast. After the game, you can pay the museum a visit, then go hit one of the fabulous local restaurants!
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