Estádio de São Luís

About

The Estádio de São Luís, also known as Santo Stadium, is a multi-use stadium in Faro, Algarve, Portugal. It serves as the home stadium for Sporting Clube Farense, a football club based in Faro. The stadium was opened in 1923 and has a seating capacity of around 7,000 spectators. It was continuously used by Farense from 1924, when it became the club's main tenant until 2004 when Farense relocated to the newly built Algarve Stadium. However, since 2013, Farense has returned to playing their home matches at the renovated São Luís Stadium. Throughout its history, São Luís Stadium has been an important venue for Sporting Clube Farense, witnessing numerous moments for the club. It has also hosted lower division matches and local football events. While not as prominent as some of Portugal's larger stadiums, São Luís Stadium holds a cherished and historic place in the city of Faro, contributing to the local football culture.

- Sporting Clube Farense Matches : The stadium has been the venue for numerous matches of Sporting Clube Farense, a well-known Portuguese football club. It has seen various important league matches and cup competitions involving the club.

- Lower Division Matches : São Luís Stadium has also hosted matches from lower divisions of Portuguese football, contributing to the development and promotion of local talent.

- Local Football Tournaments : The stadium has been used to host various local football tournaments and competitions, bringing together teams and players from the region.

- Cultural and Music Events : São Luís Stadium has occasionally been used for cultural and music events. It has hosted concerts and other entertainment shows, providing a versatile space for various forms of public gatherings.

- Benção das Pastas for Universidade do Algarve : Every year in May, the stadium becomes the venue for the graduation celebration of Algarve University students known as Benção das Pastas. During this event, graduating students come together to receive a heartfelt blessing, marking the beginning of their journey into the future. The expansive grounds of the stadium offer abundant space to accommodate the graduates and their families.

The São Luís Stadium in Faro was commissioned for construction in 1922 by Manuel Santo, a returning emigrant from the United States. Inspired by the great enthusiasm of the time and the lack of a suitable sports venue in the city, Santo acquired a plot of land near the Church of São Luís, measuring approximately 12,750 square meters, where he built the "Santo Stadium" (the stadium's initial name, named after its owner, Manuel Santo).

The plans at the time included all possible amenities for the public, including stands and VIP boxes, as well as provisions for various sports activities. The envisioned stadium was one of the first in Portugal to be built with specific characteristics for its intended purpose.

The Santo Stadium opened its doors to the public for the first time in May 1923. On 24 June of the same year, it hosted its first major event, the final of the 2nd season of the Portuguese football cup, in which Sporting CP defeated Académica de Coimbra 3–0. It was the first time, and one of the very few occasions, that the final was held outside the major circles of Lisbon and Porto.

According to news published on 21 September 1924, Sporting Clube Farense, in a General Assembly, decided to lease the field from the owner of the Santo Stadium, where the club's matches would be relocated.

In September 1924 Farense's matches started being played at this Stadium, which became the home of fervent Faro supporters. Six years later, it changed its name to Campo São Luís, reflecting the stadium's location.

In 1930 it was renamed Campo de São Luís, replacing the old designation. [ citation needed ]

On 25 November 1942 the stadium was acquired by Eusébio Tomás Lopes, and fifteen years later, on 14 December 1957, it was transferred to the municipal authority through a land exchange deed. [ citation needed ]

The Faro Municipal Council then changed the name to Estádio Municipal de São Luís solely due to its geographical location. [ citation needed ]

In 1960 new changing rooms were inaugurated, and on 24 May of the same year, the stadium's floodlights were used for the first time in a match between SC Farense and Ferroviário de Araraquara, where the Brazilian team won 0–5. [ citation needed ]

On 8 September 1971 the pitch was inaugurated.

In the following decades, the Santo Stadium would change ownership and name until 1 April 1986, when the then Municipal Stadium of São Luís was transferred to SC Farense on the club's 76th anniversary. This came after the stadium had already been the venue for the debut in the top tier of Portuguese football in the 1970/1971 season.

The stadium, inaugurated in 1923, only received a proper football pitch when the Faro team ascended to the top division in the 1970s, but it was in the 1990s that it reached its peak.

During its golden period in the 1990s, the São Luís Stadium gained a reputation among rival fans as the "Inferno" due to the intense atmosphere created by the stands near the field, particularly during matches against top teams. The team experienced glory during this time and even qualified for the UEFA Cup.

The Stadium also had two other names: Estádio Municipal de São Luís and, in 1986, on the day it was handed over by the Faro City Council to the club, Estádio de São Luís.