Locations for playing sport

Sites that were constructed for sporting purposes. Roman amphitheatres have a separate connection and are not included here.

Connected Sites

Site Rationale Link
Aphrodisias The stadium is at the north end of the city. (AB ev)
Aquileia Roman circus
Aranjuez Plaza de Toros, one of Spain's oldest bullrings (1797)
Archaeological Site of Delphi Stadium for the Pythian Games (various sports)
Asmara Bowling Alley
Bosra Roman circus
Bridgetown Horse racing: The former grass parade-grounds are now known as the Garrison Savannah, and used as a horse racing circuit
Caves of Yagul and Mitla ballcourt in Yagul
Centennial Hall Used for basketball & tennis tournaments
Central University City Campus of the UNAM Olympic stadium
Chichen-Itza Pre-Columbian Ball court
Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas Olympic Stadium
Copán Pre-Columbian Ball court
Corfu The Esplanade Cricket ground
Crespi d'Adda sports centre
Delos Hippodrome and stadium for the Delian Games
Dengfeng Shaolin Kung Fu
Dholavira: A Harappan City "The rectangular Ceremonial Ground is a relatively flat area originally annexed to the Castle as a residential area, but later cleared for carving out the open space." (AB Ev) It comprises "two multi-purpose grounds as integral elements of urban planning" that "strongly appear to have been used as stadiums as well as seasonal trading areas in addition to miscellaneous social and other activities". "The presence of a large ceremonial ground that could have been used for multipurpose activities like holding recreation activities, markets, local gatherings, sport activities, is another extraordinary example at Dholavira." (Nomination text, p. 93, 356)
Dougga/Thugga "has a circus designed for chariot racing, but it is barely visible nowadays" (wiki)
El Tajin Pre-Columbian Ball court
Epidaurus Palaestra (ancient Greek wrestling school)
Fontainebleau Jeu de paume, a French precursor of tennis : "Le cercle du Jeu de Paume de Fontainebleau accueille pour la première fois en France depuis 1740 (date du premier Championnat) le championnat du Monde de Jeu de Paume. Ce titre actuellement détenu par l'Australien Robert Fahey, sera défendu pour la septième fois consécutive du 20 au 24 mai (2008) par celui-ci".
Fray Bentos historical tennis court at the residential area
Great Spa Towns of Europe Baden Baden tennis club founded in 1877
Gusuku of Ryukyu Shikinaen: The garden contained an archery field, as was usually the case with residences for feudal lords of Edo Period Japan (nom file)
Heritage of Mercury Bullring (Almaden)
Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works Humberstone: Basketball, Tennis courts, and a Soccer Pitch. (AB ev)
Hué Tiger Arena at 678-004 Royal Arena and Voi Re Temple
Incense Route of the Negev Hypodrome at Elusa
Istanbul Roman hippodrome. Its remains are close to the Blue Mosque.
Leptis Magna Roman circus
Meidan Emam, Esfahan Maidan Shah (Polo)
Modernist Kaunas "South of the Kaukas and Garden City areas lies the Ąžuolynas Park and Sports Complex. Developed as a recreational area using portions of a natural forest, it formed part of a city green belt. Sports facilities constructed in 1920-1922 included the Kaunas Stadium, the Hall of Physical Education and the Basketball Arena. The original stadium was demolished in the Soviet era and replaced by the Darius and Girėnas Stadium in 1978" (AB ev)
Mérida Roman circus
Nancy Place de la Carrière was designed for equestrian games
Nice On the site of the place Mozart, there was originally a tennis club, the Lawn Tennis Club. There were tennis courts until 1920, when the club moved to a site with more space, avenue Suzanne Lenglen, where it still resides. (Nomination file, p. 105, 166)
Nord-Pas de Calais Mining Basin Stade Parc in Bruay-La-Buissière
Oaxaca and Monte Alban (Monte Alban) Pre-Columbian Ball court
Olympia Various arenas (athletics, wrestling etc)
Palenque Pre-Columbian Ball court
Pampulha golf club
Paquimé Two ball-courts have been excavated, with characteristic I-shaped plans derived from Mesoamerica. (AB ev)
Paris, Banks of the Seine Jeu de Paume (early Tennis)
Pergamon gymnasium
Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos stadium
Quirigua 2 ballcourts, one of which has been built over (wiki)
Rideau Canal The world's largest skating rink
Rome Ludus Magnus, Circus Maximus, Nero's Circus, Maxentius' Circus, Circus Flaminius, Circus Varianus
Saltaire Roberts Park. The park was a significant element in Sir Titus Salt's vision of what an "ideal" worker's village should contain and included from the start an area for playing Cricket - "Saltaire Cricket Club was founded in 1869, just 16 years after the opening of the famous Saltaire Mills in 1853. Roberts Park, a recreation area covering 14 acres and the home of the cricket club, was officially opened on July 25, 1871"
Samarra "Three racecourses were built east of the main city. Two have an out-and-back course 80m wide and 10.42km long with a spectators' pavilion at the start and the third a pattern of four circles around a central pavilion (5.3km)." and "Tell Al-Alij is an artificial mound for the caliph to view the horse-races" (Nom File)
Sewell Mining Town Bowling Alley
Tabriz Bazaar Garshāseb Zorkhānāsi: a palestra (nom file)
Tak'alik Ab'aj "The public architecture programme of Tak’alik Ab’aj included a clay ball court from the Middle Preclassic period, one of the earliest known in Mesoamerica" (AB ev)
Taos Pueblo "The property includes ... a track for traditional foot-races" (OUV)
Tarraco Roman circus
Tequila Teuchitlan site of Guachimontones, ball court
The Porticoes of Bologna Marathon Tower at the Renato Dall’Ara stadium, initially built as "Littoriale" in the fascist 1920s, is integrated with the Certosa portico.
Tikal National Park Pre-Columbian Ball courts (7)
Trogir Batarija igralište, a football field, lies partly in the core zone
Tyre Roman Hippodrome (horse racing and chariot racing)
Uxmal Pre-Columbian Ballcourt
Verla Groundwood and Board Mill Bowling Alley, built at the end of the 19th century.
Versailles Royal Tennis Court of Versailles
Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai The Cricket Club of India stadium and Clubhouse
Water Management System of Augsburg Kanustrecke Eiskanal - an artificial whitewater river in Augsburg, Germany, constructed as the canoe slalom venue for the 1972 Summer Olympics
Xochicalco Ballcourt

Suggestions?

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A connection should:

  1. Not be "self evident"
  2. Link at least 3 different sites
  3. Not duplicate or merely subdivide the "Category" assignment already identified on this site.
  4. Add some knowledge or insight (whether significant or trivial!) about WHS for the users of this site
  5. Be explained, with reference to a source