PHOTO: Wembley Stadium, newly rebuilt in 2003, still maintains its status as hallowed ground for British sport. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Wimbledon, perhaps the most famous of all tennis venues and the unofficial name of the fortnight tournament, begins on Monday, June 23.
It's hallowed sports ground in England, but is it THE most hallowed ground? Let's take a look.
5) ASCOT RACECOURSE - If you think you're somebody in English society, then this is the place to be when what is arguably the most famous horse racing event in the world, Royal Ascot, takes place. Which is, um, this week actually. Starting Tuesday, June 17 and running through June 21, Royal Ascot race meeting week dates back more than 300 years. Each day, Queen Elizabeth or a member of the Royal Family attends the races, being brought by horse-drawn carriage. Of late, Royal Ascot has become like the Academy Awards - more press coverage is given to who's wearing what than the actual event itself. Don't think they take that seriously over there? There's a dress code. We're not kidding.
4) TWICKENHAM STADIUM - Not soccer; not yet. No, Twickenham Stadium is still holy ground, though, but for rugby fans. Twickenham, or Twickers as the locals call it, is home to the Rugby Football Union and at 82,000 seats is the largest stadium in the world devoted solely to rugby. The stadium has played hosts to other events - Irish rock legends U2 set the attendance record of 110,000+ for a concert in 2005 - but rarely does it host anything but rugby when it comes to sports.
3) ALL ENGLAND LAWN AND TENNIS CLUB - The official name of the Wimbledon tennis championships. Played out over two weeks on numerous grass courts, including the famous Centre Court, Wimbledon might not be considered the toughest of the four major tennis events to win - the French Open, with its clay courts and demands for precision shot making, might be the most difficult - but it is without question the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. The men's and women's champions are feted at a ball every year on the closing night of the tournament. Tickets to the finals are difficult to get, but the best part of Wimbledon is actually the first week, when so many name players are playing in the early rounds and on outside courts that it's easy to see your favorites.
2) OLD TRAFFORD - Talk about sacred ground. Old Trafford Stadium is the home to what is arguably the most famous soccer club in the world - Manchester United. Built in 1910, Old Trafford seats about 75,000. It was originally slated to hold 100,000, but cost over-runs forced construction to revise the plan. Like many buildings in England, it was severely damaged in World War II and was unusable from 1941-49.
1) WEMBLEY STADIUM - The interesting thing about Wembley Stadium in London has been the debate of tradition vs. modernization. Wembley Stadium is one of the most iconic sports venues in the world, much less in England, and was built in 1923 featuring its famous twin towers hovering over the facility. Wembley hosted the 1948 Olympic Games - the last in England prior to 2012 - and hosted the championship match of the 1966 World Cup, the last time England won the event. But in 2003 it was almost completely torn down in favor of construction, re-opening in 2007 as one of the most modern facilities in the world. The twin towers were replaced by an arch that now stretches over the top of the stadium. Tradition or modernization, it's still England's most revered sporting ground.
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