Stadiwm y Mileniwm (Millennium Stadium (Cardiff))

Member Name: chris212

Product:	Millennium Stadium (Cardiff)
Date:	14/07/09 (104 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You always get the best view in the house not matter where you sit

Disadvantages: Not the largest, when compared to other newer stadiums

The Millennium Stadium or as it is known in welsh, Stadiwm y Mileniwm, is the pride of not just welsh rugby fans by the whole of Wales and, now it would seem, anybody that has come to the stadium to watch an event.

Currently the stadium is celebrating its tenth anniversary, as it was built for the Rugby World Cup, although now the stadium is not just confined to Rugby. An important point to establish here is the cost of the Millennium Stadium was only a fraction of the cost of the new Wembley stadium, as the total construction cost was at £125m; nowhere near the billion spend by the English FA.

Although the main priority of the stadium is to be prepared for test matches for the rugby, but to earn extra money for the WRU, the stadium is used for a vast number of events that range from racing to music concerts.

An important feature of the stadium is its location, as was built on the same site as the old Cardiff Arms Park, which is dead centre in the City of Cardiff. What this has done is made the stadium accessible to both home and away fans. As home supports in the Welsh capital can travel, as well as home supporters outside of the capital, such as the Welsh valley by rail. This is also true of away supports, as they can also use railway way links and well as Cardiff International Airport that is nearby and is also linked to the city centre.

The reason why I raise the issue of having good transport links is because the station is only a stones throw away from the stadium as soon as you either get off a bus or train. This is important in the modern day, as people have been to the new Wembley stadium have complianed that the stadium is too far out of the way from transport links, which is not the case with the Millennium Stadium.

Although the primary events at the stadium are the rugby internationals, it is not just this event that is staged there. As the welsh national football team also play some of their home internationals at the stadium, although not all.

Amazingly there is also motor sports that take place at the stadium, these come in the form of Speed way and a special World Rally stage. What was amazing was the ability to hold such event, such as motor racing, as one would never believe that the stadium could hold such as event.

There are also music events that are held at the stadium, such as the Take That concert and the U2 concert that is coming soon. The sound of music events within the stadium is one of the best sounds that you could ever get a concert, which is helped by the inclusion of a folding roof.

The is one of the best features of the stadium, the closing roof, as not many other stadiums have this feature. What it means is if you go and watch an event at a stadium and it is raining outside the roof can be closed and you don't get wet. But this has the side effect of increasing the intensity of sound within the stadium that you would not get at any other rugby stadium.

Secondly, because of the design of the stadium it means that there is not a bad seat in the stadium. Although there are three levels that are available for seating, so far I have sat on the top tier and the bottom tier. One the bottom, while I was at a welsh football international, you are extremely close to the player even at the back of the bottom tier. At the top, although you are quite high, you do not get the impression that you are high, as you still seem close to the players on the pitch. It also does not matter what area of the stadium, ether it be at the side of the pitch, behind the goal or in a corner section.

Thirdly, the stadium operators also give people the option to have guided tours around the stadium, although it was a while ago and I can't quite remember the price. What this allow the party that I was with the option of looking around the dressing rooms, the pitch, the royal box and the mini studio in the stadium. If you do not want to go to an event at the stadium, or cannot afford to go to an event then I would recommend this tour.

One of the minor points with the stadium, is although it has a capacity of near 74,000 seats, it could have done with a few more. The reason I state this is because everyone wants to go to an event at the stadium, the tickets can sell very fast. Although this could soon be remedied with the moving of the Cardiff Blues to the new Cardiff City Stadium, as one end of the stadium is not fully completed.

Overall I cannot help but recommend that, if you have not been to an event that has take place at the stadium, then you should book one, as you will not get a better experience.

Summary: Would definately recommend