KR-völlur
{{Short description|Football stadium in Reykjavík, Iceland}}
{{use dmy|date=April 2025}}
{{Expand Icelandic|date=January 2022|topic=struct}}
{{Infobox stadium
| stadium_name = Meistaravellir
| nickname =
| image = KR-völlur Main Stand.jpg
| image_size = 300px
| location = Reykjavík, Iceland
| broke_ground =
| opened = 1951
| renovated =
| owner =
| operator =
| construction cost =
| architect =
| tenants = KR Reykjavík
| seating_capacity = 2,781 (1,541 seated)
|surface=Grass|dimensions={{convert|105|x|68|m|abbr=on}}
}}
Meistaravellir ({{lit|Master's Fields}}) or KR-völlur ({{lit|KR Field}} or more precisely 'KR Stadium') is a football stadium in Reykjavík, Iceland.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xu25x4WuFwIC|title=Iceland|last1=Parnell|first1=Fran|last2=O'Carroll|first2=Etain|date=2007-01-01|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=9781741045376|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x5na1WdCYywC|title=The Definitive Guide Featuring All the Facts and Figures from the FIFA World Cup|last=Oliver|first=Guy|date=2006-01-01|publisher=Headline Book Publishing|isbn=9780755315062|language=en}}
It is currently used mostly for football matches and has been the home stadium of Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur since 1984. The stadium holds about 2,700 people and is located at Kaplaskjólsvegur in West Reykjavík.
History
KR-völlur was first established as a football ground in 1951 as a part time ground. KR played the majority of their matches at Laugardalsvöllur. In 1984, they moved to play their matches at KR-völlur full-time.{{Cite web|url=https://liberoguide.com/kr-reykjavik/|title=KR Reykjavik |publisher=Libero Guide|date=11 July 2014|accessdate=1 April 2025}} In the same year, it hosted a UEFA Cup match between KR against English club Queen's Park Rangers.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2017/08/07/ridiculous-stat-reveals-why-qpr-are-cut-above-rest-european-football|title=Ridiculous Stat Reveals Why QPR Are a Cut Above the Rest in European Football|date=7 August 2017|magazine=Sports Illustrated|accessdate=1 April 2025}} In more recent times, KR have played their European home matches at Laugardalsvöllur instead of KR-völlur. By 2011, KR-völlur had the highest regular attendance in Icelandic football.{{Cite web|url=https://www.visir.is/g/20111817652d/ahorfendum-faekkadi-flestir-maettu-a-kr-vollinn-en-faestir-i-gardabae|title=Áhorfendum fækkaði - flestir mættu á KR-völlinn en fæstir í Garðabæ - Vísir|first=Óskar Ófeigur|last=Jónsson|date=17 October 2011|website=Visir |language=Icelandic |accessdate=1 April 2025}}
In 2021, KR announced that they were going to be renovating KR-völlur with a new administration building paid for by Reykjavík City Council and an extra stand. The pitch would also be renovated but there was debate within the club as to whether they would retain the natural grass pitch or install an artificial pitch.{{Cite web|url=https://m.fotbolti.net/story.php?&url=sjadu-hvernig-nyr-kr-vollur-mun-lita-ut&offset=600|title=Sjáðu hvernig nýr KR-völlur mun líta út|website=Fotbolti |language=Icelandic |accessdate=1 April 2025}} Due to a number of delays, which included the Rekjavik city council delaying planning permission and a shortage of funding for the project from the council,{{Cite web|url=https://www.dv.is/433/2023/5/16/stjornarmadur-kr-tjair-sig-opinskatt-dagur-b-myndar-sig-med-bornum-en-ekkert-gerist-eru-hofdinu-haerri-en-hann-dag/|title=Stjórnarmaður í KR tjáir sig opinskátt: Dagur B myndar sig með börnum en ekkert gerist - "Eru höfðinu hærri en hann í dag"|date=16 May 2023|accessdate=1 April 2025 |publisher=DV |language=Icelandic }} the renovations would eventually start in 2024 and the decision was made to install an artificial pitch as the designer had originally envisaged.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dv.is/433/2024/12/05/loksins-hefjast-framkvaemdir-fyrsta-skoflustungan-af-nyjum-kr-velli-dag/|title=Loksins hefjast framkvæmdir - Fyrsta skóflustungan af nýjum KR velli í dag |language=Icelandic|date=5 December 2024 |publisher=DV |accessdate=1 April 2025}} This was because it was felt that the club needed an artificial pitch because they were using their artificial training pitch for all of their teams' adult and youth football training and matches and it was damaging the surface after just a year of installation. There were suggestions that KR could have financed it using sponsorship money Alvogen but they opted not to utilise this option.{{cite web |url=https://skemman.is/bitstream/1946/26529/1/Knatthu%CC%81s%20a%CC%81%20fe%CC%81lagssv%C3%A6%C3%B0i%20Knattspyrnufe%CC%81lags%20Reykjavi%CC%81kur%20-%20Lokaskil.pdf |title=Knatthús á félagssvæði Knattspyrnufélags Reykjavíkur |publisher=BS ritgerð |language=Icelandic |accessdate=2025-04-01}}
Gallery
Image:Kr_stukan.jpg|The Meistaravellir in spring 2007
Image:KR völlur dugouts opposite main stand.jpg|Meistaravellir dugouts opposite main stand in 2011
Image:KR home behind one of the goals.jpg|KR home behind one of the goals
Image:KR pitch.jpg|Pitch as seen from next to the Main stand
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.nordicstadiums.com/kr-vollur/ Meistaravellir at Nordicstadiums.com]
{{Coord|64|08|44.46|N|21|58|3.82|W|region:IS_type:landmark|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kr-Vollur}}
Category:Football venues in Iceland
Category:Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur