South Africa Spectators at Mmabatho Stadium have to turn their heads to one side to watch the players play, making the stadium useless but a point of curiosity for tourists.
Mmabatho Stadium was built in 1981, during the Apartheid era (which collapsed completely in 1994) in the city of Mafikeng, North West province.
After the stadium opened, it didn’t take long for people to realize that the stands above the stadium didn’t offer a good view of the game. If you wanted to watch, you had to turn your head to the side to see the action. This was because the stands were built diagonally to the ground instead of straight.
The stands are built high up on the diagonal, forcing spectators sitting in these places to turn their heads to one side to see the players playing football.
Israeli architect Goodovitch and engineer Ben Abraham were behind the project. They came up with a concept that went against all the basic principles of stadium design, but was loved by the authorities at the time. Therefore, the design was granted a building permit.
Nowadays, the stadium is rarely used for its intended purpose because of its impractical and unsightly design. That is also why, despite being the country’s fifth largest stadium, Mmabatho was not used for the 2010 World Cup, either for official matches or as a training ground for teams. Occasionally, it is used for friendly matches for charity purposes.
Mmabatho Stadium design. Photo: Goodovitch
But it is precisely because of this odd configuration that the 59,000-seat stadium has become a curious destination for tourists. Local tour operators often list Mmabatho as a must-see destination in South Africa, and Mafikeng, located more than 260 km from Johannesburg, near the Botswana border.
Many visitors expressed their delight. Some compared the yard to a work of art, even comparing it to "a blooming tulip", while others said it looked like "a bull's horn".
Apart from the football field, other activities in Mafikeng city that visitors can participate in include wildlife safaris, museums, and day tours to explore the city.
Anh Minh (According to Tripadvisor, Odd )
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