The BayArena in Leverkusen is certainly one of the more extravagant stadiums in Germany with its appearance. It is located directly at the A1 and A3 motorway junction, next to the river Dhünn and just under a kilometre east of Leverkusen town hall. It is therefore also in the centre of the city, which was formed in the 19th century as a merger of several small towns. Built in 1958, the former Ulrich Haberland Stadium has since been remodelled and extended several times. Most recently, in 2009, it was given an oversized, circular Makrolon roof, which protrudes far into the surrounding area and spans the public area in Bismarckstraße – this also pushes our special photographic approach to its limits, complicating a realistic depiction of the stadium roof.
As the football stadium of a corporate team, the BayArena is closely linked to the success of the Bayer 04 Leverkusen club. Since promotion to the Bundesliga, the club has won the UEFA Cup title in 1988, the DFB Cup title in 1993 and finally, in an unbeaten season, the German championship title and the DFB Cup victory in 2024. The German national team has already played eight international matches in the BayArena.
