On 13 August 2001 a new age began for FC Schalke 04. At an inauguration ceremony full of atmosphere the Royal Blues ushered in the era of the Arena AufSchalke. The traditional German club had built itself a new home, a home that in terms of functionality and modernity represented a quantum leap, not only in comparison with its predecessor, the Park Stadium. With its retractable pitch, closable roof, movable South Stand and videocube, the Arena immediately assumed the mantle of Europe's most modern stadium. Hi-tech that ensures that football matches can be staged in front of 61,000 fans (and more than 70,000 for pop concerts) 365 days a year.

In its first two years of operation the Arena AufSchalke exceeded even the most optimistic of expectations. Whereas the club reckoned with an annual attendance of 1.5 million at 30 events, some 4.1 million visitors have already passed through its doors at the 76 events held to date. The decision to build the Arena in the largest conurbation in Europe has thus paid off. A total of 6.4 million people live within 50 kilometres of the multipurpose stadium, and as many as 60 million in the wider catchment area within a 250 kilometre radius.

And they have had plenty to choose from in the first 24 months, from opera and pop concerts to top-class winter sport. Whatever the event, thanks to its independence from the weather the Arena always draws a large crowd. Undeniable advantages that in the summer of 2003 attracted a string of superstars to the multipurpose venue. US rockers Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi delivered celebrated performances that were later topped by sell-out, back-to-back appearances by German rock star Herbert Grönemeyer and two Robbie Williams shows that were euphorically received by the critics and also attracted sell-out crowds. A total of 340,000 fans saw these six concerts.

An important factor in this success is that almost anything is possible in the Arena AufSchalke. On 28 December 2002, for example, a biathlon race was staged in a stadium for the first time ever. During an exciting race over a 968-metre long course especially prepared for the event more than 35,000 spectators (the strict security requirements meant no more could be admitted) cheered on the Olympic gold medallists in this combination of cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship. The race proved such a success it will be hosted again in 2003.

Anything is possible, and that goes for the club's ability to improvise, too. In May 2003, for instance, the Arena staged a pop concert, a Bundesliga match and a game played by the Rhein Fire American football team in the NFL Europe within the space of just 96 hours. During this time the organisers had to dismantle and remove the musicians' equipment, reconfigure the South Stand, move the pitch inside the stadium for the football and then, after the final whistle, add the turf markings required by the American footballers. All this is made possible by the logistical infrastructure at this multipurpose venue.

As some forthcoming highlights go to show, however, the Arena AufSchalke, despite all its versatility, is and remains primarily a football stadium. Fittingly, in Schalke's centenary year, the UEFA Champions League Final will take place in the Arena on 26 May 2004. In its bid to stage the final the multifunctional venue triumphed over some renowned domestic and international competition, including Hamburg, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris and Madrid.

The way to staging what is probably the world's most important football match after the World Cup Final was paved not least by the assessment made by a delegation from UEFA, the European football governing body. In their concluding report the members of UEFA's stadium and security committee recommended that the Arena be given a five-star rating. The actual wording goes even further: "This venue fulfils more than all the requirements and can be qualified as a 'six-star venue'…."

No less enthusiastic were the delegates from world governing body FIFA who ran the rule over the Arena AufSchalke as one of the twelve venues for the 2006 World Cup. "The Arena will be a pearl of the World Cup", said FIFA spokesman Markus Siegler after the detailed inspection. Although the definitive tournament schedule has yet to be announced, it is believed that five World Cup matches, including one quarter-final as the highlight, will take place in Gelsenkirchen in 2006.

The security technology at this magnificent venue also came in for high praise. "I have only ever seen two stadia in the whole world that match the Arena in this respect - the Sapporo Dome and the stadium in Detroit", said Walter Gagg, FIFA's stadium security director. The Arena therefore merited an excellent testimonial simply for the planning that had gone into it, added Siegler, and set standards that had few equals anywhere in the world.

Yet the Arena has also built up an impressive reputation outside the realm of major events. Whether it's a meeting or an anniversary, a congress or an office party, a registry office marriage or a church wedding, the ultra-modern venue with its elegant and cosy ambience is well placed to cope with any requirement. And so, observers soon come to realise what the extraordinary technology already suggests - the Arena AufSchalke is more than just a stadium.