Nikos Kazantzakis Stadium
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(Αθλητικό Κέντρο Εργοτέλη − Γήπεδο «Νίκος Καζαντζάκης»)
Martinengo Stadium | |
 Interactive map of Nikos Kazantzakis Stadium | |
| Full name | Ergotelis Athletic Centre − «Nikos Kazantzakis» Stadium (Αθλητικό Κέντρο Εργοτέλη − Γήπεδο «Νίκος Καζαντζάκης») |
|---|---|
| Former names | Ergotelis Stadium[1][2] |
| Location | Heraklion, Greece |
| Coordinates | 35°19′54″N 25°07′50″E / 35.3318°N 25.1305°E |
| Owner | Gymnastics Club Ergotelis |
| Operator | Gymnastics Club Ergotelis |
| Capacity | 1,000 (~600 seated) |
| Surface | Artificial turf |
| Scoreboard | No |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1946 |
| Opened | 3 November 1946 |
| Tenants | |
| Ergotelis Youth Academy Ergotelis (women) Poros Ethnikos Heraklion P.O. Heraklion AO Tiganitis[2] Former Tenants Ergotelis (men, 1946−2004) | |
The «Nikos Kazantzakis» Stadium (Greek: Γήπεδο «Νίκος Καζαντζάκης»), formerly known as Ergotelis Stadium and more commonly as Martinengo Stadium, is a football stadium located on the Martinengo bastion, part of the fortifications of Heraklion, on the island of Crete. It is named after Modern Greek literature giant Nikos Kazantzakis, whose grave is also located on the same bastion. It is part of the Ergotelis Athletic Centre, a sport facilities complex owned by Greek multi-sport club Ergotelis. Built in 1946,[3] as Ergotelis Stadium (Greek: Γήπεδο Εργοτέλη), it was the traditional home ground of Greek football club Ergotelis until 2004, when the club moved to the Pankritio Stadium, Heraklion's largest and most modern sports venue. The complex currently houses the Ergotelis Youth Academy, the largest youth sports academy on the island of Crete, and one of the largest in Greece,[4] while the stadium itself is still used as the home ground of multiple Heraklion football clubs playing in the Heraklion Football Clubs Association amateur league system. It has a capacity of about 1,000 spectators, of which approximately 600 can be seated.
The stadium is located on the fortifications of Heraklion, atop the Martinengo bastion, in close proximity to Nikos Kazantzakis' grave. The stadium's location name Martinengo is often used to refer to the venue itself. Since being declared unfit for use in Greek domestic competitions in 2004 (the year of Ergotelis' first ever promotion to the Greek Super League) due to outdated facilities, archaeological authorities in Heraklion have blocked Ergotelis' attempts at renovating the stadium on multiple occasions, due to the location's historical significance,[5] and have raised preservation concerns as a reason for evicting Ergotelis of their home turf.[6] The club is therefore forced to rent out and play its home games in the city's larger and more modern Pankritio Stadium.