Estadio Municipal de Braga is carved into a rock. (Image: Getty)
There are many around the world and in Europe. From the recently built to the new , there are a lot of grounds that could fight for the top spot when it comes to Europe’s prettiest stadium. Different people have different opinions and also definitions of what makes a stadium pretty. Some say it’s modern designs, while others argue that if a stadium is literally carved into rock, it has to be the one. Well, some people consider the to be the prettiest in for that exact reason.
Located in , the stadium is home to Sporting Clube de Braga and has a capacity of 30,286 spectators. It was designed by Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura, who later received the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in part for this project. The stadium, which opened in 2003, is commonly known as “A Pedreira” (The Quarry) because it was carved into the Monte do Castro hillside on the site of a former rock quarry.
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The stadium was built as one of the venues for UEFA Euro 2004. (Image: Getty)
Built as one of the venues for UEFA Euro 2004, the stadium hosted two matches during the tournament: Bulgaria vs Denmark and Netherlands vs Latvia.
The estimated budget was originally set at €29.9 million, but the final cost soared to €200 million (£150 million), making it the most expensive stadium built for the tournament – even exceeding the costs of Estadio da Luz, Estadio do Dragao, and Estadio Jose Alvalade, all of which have much larger capacities.
The stadium’s design is unlike any other in Europe. Instead of the traditional four-stand layout, Braga’s stadium features just two long stands on either side of the pitch, with one end carved into the granite rock face of the quarry.
The opposite end has panoramic views of the city of Braga. Above the stands, there is a canopy-style roof that’s connected by dozens of steel cables.
Beneath the pitch, a 5,000-square-metre plaza connects different areas of the stadium.
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One end of the stadium is carved into the granite rock face of a quarry. (Image: Getty)
Since 2007, the stadium has been informally referred to as Estadio AXA after Sporting Braga signed a sponsorship deal with French insurance company AXA.
However, this name was never officially recognised by the Braga municipality, which owns the venue.
The stadium is currently undergoing a major modernisation project, which began in July 2024.
Upgrades include a new sound system, LED lighting for the stands and pitch, and an updated screen on the famous stone wall.
The club has also confirmed that the grass pitch will be replaced, ensuring better playing conditions for future matches.