Far from a masterpiece of modern architecture, the Cierny Balog appears at first glance to be an inconsequential little ground. Situated in the picturesque, pine-clad hills of the Slovakian countryside, it is home to a tiny club called TJ Tatran Cierny Balog. However, if you chose to attend a match, you would be in for a genuinely unique surprise.That is because the Cierny Hron railway line runs directly between the pitch and the ground’s main stand. And it gets better: trains pass through the stadium even during matches! Fans are known to applaud the trains as they pass through, especially because most of them are actually steam trains from the early 20th century. This has become a regular distraction for the players, who cannot hear each other over the sound of the steam train’s noisy engine. Unsurprisingly, the TJ Tatran Cierny Balog Stadium is believed to be the only sports stadium in the world with an active train track running through it
