Anniversary jersey now available in the webshop
On the occasion of the 100th birthday of the Hohe Warte arena, Austria's oldest football club is coming up with an anniversary jersey. The new home kit of First Vienna FC 1894 is a homage to its cult home and something very special. In addition to the new Hohe Warte logo in the 100-year design, the jersey is adorned with a map of Döbling and a picture of the stadium. The anniversary jersey is now available in the Vienna webshop at www.1894.at/shop .
Just in time for the Christmas season: Vienna's new home jersey is now available in the webshop. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the iconic Naturarena Hohe Warte, the home shirts of the „Döblinger“ are all about this historic anniversary. A logo was specially designed for the natural arena, which will adorn the jersey in the 100-year Hohe Warte design in the anniversary year. The logo is an expression of the historical significance of the site for Austrian football and is intended to underline the close ties between the club and its home arena. The Hohe Warte is more than just a stadium, it is a meeting place and cult site.
Another element is the city map of Döbling in the background of the front. The 19th district of Austria’s capital Vienna is home to Vienna and the Hohe Warte natural arena. The section of the city map was chosen so that the club's logo is located exactly where the home ground has its place on the map. The back of the jersey shows the stadium itself.
"We are extremely pleased that we have succeeded in building a bridge to our cult stadium with the anniversary jersey. The Hohe Warte is a magical place for us, but also in terms of football history, which we can now revive. That makes the jersey very special for us," says Vienna managing director Thomas Loy.
The new jersey costs 70 euros (55 euros for children) and is available in the webshop (www.1894.at/shop) and in the club‘s fanshop at Hohe Warte.
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In the last century, not only legendary international matches, cup finals and international games of all kinds were played at the Hohe Warte stadium. It also hosted open-air performances by opera and operetta companies, variety shows and fashion shows.
In addition to Vienna, Hohe Warte also hosted the Austrian national team from 1921 to 1936. In the 1930s, the so-called Wunderteam under team manager Hugo Meisl was considered the world's best national team. At times, other sporting events such as boxing, running, speedway, field hockey, American football and rugby as well as cultural highlights such as Giuseppe Verdi's opera Aida or pop concerts by Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, INXS and Ostbahn-Kurti also found their temporary home in Döbling.
For a long time, Vienna's home ground was considered Continental Europe's largest stadium. On 15 April 1923, on the occasion of Austria's international match against Italy, 85,000 spectators poured into the stadium. That was a record attendance. Today, the HoWa - as fans affectionately call the living room of the blue and yellow - is licensed for 4568 spectators. With an additional permit, 7500 spectators are allowed into the unique natural arena.
On 19 June 1921, the Hohe Warte was inaugurated with a 2-1 championship victory over SC Hakoah. The premiere was attended by 12,000 spectators. Even before the completion of the blue and yellow home ground, the Viennese press reported in 1921 that something unique was being created in Döbling. "Here a work is quietly maturing towards its completion, which will carry the fame of its creators far beyond the borders of our country.“
