For some, it is a temple to the national sport, to others the hallowed place they saw acts such as Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones.
Hampden Park has a special status in Scotland, and not just among football fans, so it is absolutely right that it should play a key role in Glasgow 2014.
The national stadium is hosting track and field events, among the most eagerly anticipated fixtures of the Games. The playing surface is being raised by nearly two metres, a neat way of providing Glasgow with a world-class athletics arena without the expense of building a new one. The stadium has already benefited from a £3 million refurbishment of the North Stand, because of the Games, which will be in use for years to come. It is a prime example of the long-term legacy of the Commonwealth Games.
The lifting of the turf at Hampden yesterday, during a week when Glasgow has been wreathed in sadness, is a reminder that the city has much to look forward to in 2014, when it will be the focus of international attention for happier reasons than of late. With some of the world's leading athletes due to compete in the stadium, Hampden will as ever be the place to be.
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