Built in 1998 and then renovated, this stadium was built to host major European football matches and competitions. The stadium is a great example of what a modern stadium aims to be: it challenges our ideas about stadiums and provides a focal point in the region. The main designers were the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron. The stadium is designed so that the main entrance is from an elevated esplanade. The stadium roof includes some of the latest technology. It has a roller shutter system that can be pulled back and forth during games to provide protection from the sun's harmful rays. However, the stadium's eye-catching exterior is the biggest attraction. Viewed from up to 12 km away in some parts, the exterior facade of the building is made of ETFE foil air panels. Each panel can be independently illuminated with blue, red or white light. This creates a magnificent spectacle, especially at night, and illustrates how far stadium design has progressed during the 20th century..