Stadion Gospin Dolac – stadium description

Imotski is a picturesque town in inland part of Dalmatia, close to the Bosnian border. Due to its extreme location and bedrock for decades there was no football field. There simply was no room to fit one in until such idea emerged in early 1970s.

The new field was to be created in the place of a natural valley. Achieving over 7,000 squre meters of level land meant the necessity of filling the valley with rocks and soil. Ground works began in 1978 and lasted two years before the field was delivered. Today’s natural turf grows 43 meters above the valley’s historic bottom!

According to the original design, grandstands were to be built on both west and east sides, however the eastern one was never delivered. Even the current shape took years to fully open. Still, the west side makes the stadium unique enough. Resting on the rocky hillside it’s topped by the town’s key attraction, the Topana fortress from 10th century.

There’s a modest church of Our Lady of Angels (Gospe od Anđela) within the fortifications, from which the stadium took its name. Right behind the stadium and fortress is a massive sinkhole which hosts the Blue Lake (Modre Jezero). When the lake dries in late summer, football is played on the bottom soil. With or without water this stadium has a unique landscape in the world of football.

The irregularly shaped western stand and small southern terrace used to hold 4,000 people when benched. After conversion to individual seats (these came largely from Stadion Poljud) the stadium has capacity of app. 2,700.