Ljudski vrt () is a football stadium in Maribor, Slovenia, which has a seating capacity of 11,671. It has been the home of NK Maribor since their formation in 1960, with the exception of a short period in early 1961. It was originally the home of several other football teams based in Maribor, including Rapid and Branik. A prominent feature of the stadium is the main grandstand with a concrete arch, which is protected by the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Slovenia as an architectural and historical landmark. The stadium has four stands: South Stand, East Stand, North Stand, and Marcos Tavares Stand (formerly West Stand). The record attendance of 20,000 was set at a match between Maribor and Proleter in 1973, which was before the ground's conversion to an all-seater stadium in 1998. In addition to being the home of Maribor, the stadium is also occasionally used by the Slovenian men's national football team. Ljudski vrt was also one of the venues of the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Championship and the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. Since its opening in 1952, the stadium has gone through various renovations and reconstructions. In 1994 the stadium received floodlights, and the wooden benches on the grandstand were replaced by plastic seats. In 1999, when Maribor qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stages for the first time, the stadium underwent further renovations and adjustments. However, the biggest renovation took place between 2006 and 2008, when three of the four stands (South, East and North) were demolished and completely rebuilt. The West Stand was renovated between 2020 and 2021. History Background The area, known today as Ljudski vrt, was originally located outside the city walls of Maribor and served as a cemetery for centuries. In 1873, a public park was planted in the area after which the stadium received its present name. At the beginning of the 20th century, the area became a recreational centre of the city, and records from 1901 show that tennis was already being played there at that time. During World War I, the area served as a shooting range. As in other Slovenian towns, football boomed in Maribor after the war with the establishment of new clubs, most notably I. SSK Maribor, which was founded in 1919. The first recorded football activity in the area took place in the late 1900s, when the Marburger Sportvereinigung,