FeVR Pitches
Exhibition
From England to Bosnia - stand on virtual football pitches all over Europe while you're in a church in Gelsenkirchen-Schalke.
In the FeVR Pitches exhibition, you can immerse yourself in the diversity of European football culture with VR glasses. In virtual reality, local guides who know the pitch inside out take you by the hand and show you the special features and highlights. Don’t just see what makes the pitch unique, experience it! Get to know six special stadiums from England, Austria, Bosnia, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. From Champions League participants to amateur sports facilities, everything is included. This will give you an insight into the diversity of European football culture in the run-up to UEFA EURO 2024.
To create the unique experiences in the various stadiums, mxr storytelling used a brand new technology called “Gaussian Splatting” on behalf of the Schalker Markt Foundation. All VR models were created directly from videos and photos taken by the respective partners on site.
Vernissage & official Places opening:
THURSDAY, 16.05. AT 7:04 PM
IN THE ST. JOSEPH CHURCH
Hohe Warte stadium in Vienna
(First Vienna Football Club)
The largest natural stadium in Europe and home to Austria’s oldest football club. Everything from opera performances to American football matches have taken place here in over 100 years of stadium history. But the heart of the stadium remains the soccer of First Vienna FC, whose fans do not always watch successful soccer, but have a very special connection to the club.
De Grolsch Vest in Enschede
(Twente Enschede)
This stadium is a prime example of Dutch soccer culture – highlighted by the many fan pubs located in the stadium behind the stands. This stadium shows how important a soccer club can be for an entire region. There is also a very special connection to Gelsenkirchen – fans of Schalke and Twente have been fan friends for almost 30 years.
Stade Joseph Marien in Forest in the Brussels region
(Royale Union St. Gilloises)
The stadium is the home ground of the shooting star team from Belgium, which is currently shaking up European soccer. The building, which dates back to 1897(!), offers space for almost 9500 supporters and has a number of architectural features to offer. The art deco façade from the 1920s with stained glass windows is just one of them. The current Belgian champions and 2023 CL participants play their matches in this jewel box.
Stadium Bilino Polje (Zenica)
(NK Celik Zenica)
In addition to the matches of the 2nd Bosnian League, just as many matches of the Bosnian national team take place here – precisely because the stadium is more atmospheric than the larger stadium in the capital. From 1995 to 2006, the national team could not be beaten here and did not lose 15 games in a row. The 1972 Mitro Cup, which Zenica won, stands larger than life on the edge of the pitch. There is a special connection to Gelsenkirchen here – the two cities have been twinned since 1969.
Glückauf stadium in Gelsenkirchen
(FC Schalke 04 e.V.)
For 45 years, the Glückauf stadium was the home of FC Schalke 04. Built with the support of the Consol colliery, the stadium was the scene of the club’s most successful period in which all German championships in the club’s history were won. Always on site: Photographers. Between 1928 and 1973, they captured the great moments, the darkest moments and all the curiosities on hundreds of meters of photographic film. In the VR application, you can follow in the footsteps of one of these photographers.
Hackney Marshes in London
(Hackney & Leyton Football League)
The large Hackney Marshes sports complex comprises over 50 football pitches, which are used every weekend by Sunday League clubs, including those in the Hackney & Leyton Football League. It is the largest amateur sports venue in Europe – nowhere else do so many amateur footballers meet at the same time. In addition to their function as sports grounds, the Marshes are important meeting places for the community and neighbourhood in north-east London.
St. Joseph's Church
The exhibition with the VR productions will be set up in the St Joseph’s Church in Gelsenkirchen-Schalke. The district is the home of FC Schalke 04 and an ideal exhibition venue. Schalke is so crazy about football that even St Aloisius wears blue and white socks and has a ball on his foot in one of St Joseph’s church windows. The city of Gelsenkirchen is located in the heart of the Ruhr area, a region that has been a melting pot of different nationalities and cultures for over 170 years: solidarity is a valuable asset here. The Local Guides will be able to see this for themselves in May.
Königsberger Str. 7745881 Gelsenkirchen
FeVR Pitches is a project of the Schalker Markt Foundation and is sponsored by the Stiftung Fußball & Kultur gGmbH foundation. The project is an official contribution to the art and culture programme for UEFA EURO 2024™.
