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Zetra Olympic Hall, Sarajevo

{{Short description|Indoor arena in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina}}

{{redirect|Zetra|the band|Zetra (band)}}

{{Infobox venue

|name = Juan Antonio Samaranch Olympic Hall

|nickname = Zetra

| logo_image = Zetra.jpg

| logo_size = 200px

|image = Sarajevo Zetra Hall.jpg

|image_size = 260px

|caption = {{small|Juan Antonio Samaranch Olympic Hall in March 2017.}}

|former_names = Zetra Olympic Hall

|fullname =

|location = Alipašina, Koševo, Centar, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

|coordinates = {{coord|43|52|18.5|N|18|24|34.4|E|display=it}}

|broke_ground = June 1981

|built =

|opened = February 14, 1982

|renovated = 1999

|expanded =

|closed =

|demolished =

|owner = Sarajevo Canton

|operator = ZOI '84 organization

|surface = Versatile

|construction_cost = € 16.4 million (1999 renovation)

|architect = Lidumil Alikalfić
Dušan Đapa

|capacity = 12,000 (18,000 for concerts)

|tenants = Bosnia and Herzegovina men's national handball team
Bosnia and Herzegovina national futsal team
Bosnia and Herzegovina national ice hockey team
2019 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival

| website = {{URL|1=https://www.oczetra.ba}}

}}

The Juan Antonio Samaranch Olympic Hall (Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian: Olimpijska dvorana Juan Antonio Samaranch / Олимпијска дворана Хуан Антонио Самаран; formerly Zetra Olympic Hall{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsfeatures.com/olympicsnews/story/47010/sarajevo-olympic-hall-renamed-after-juan-antonio-samaranch|title=Olympics Features: Sarajevo Olympic Hall renamed after Juan Antonio Samaranch|website=www.sportsfeatures.com|access-date=28 October 2017}}) is an indoor multi-purpose arena in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Named in honor of Juan Antonio Samaranch in 2010 after his death, it was used for various sporting events at the 1984 Winter Olympics, and as the main venue of the 2019 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival.

History

The building of the complex started in June 1981 and was officially opened by then-President of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch, on February 14, 1982.{{cite web|url=http://www.papa.ba/en/information/location/olympic-complex-zetra|title=Olympic complex Zetra - Papa u Sarajevu|website=www.papa.ba|access-date=28 October 2017}}

=Olympic venue=

Zetra Olympic Hall was constructed specifically for the 1984 Winter Olympics, hosted in Sarajevo, and was completed in 1982. Its first major event was the 1983 World Junior Speed Skating Championships. It was described as an "ultramodern, angular edifice"[https://web.archive.org/web/20080327110330/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1120612/index.htm "Now Bring On The Torch"] Bob Ottum, Sports Illustrated, March 14, 1983 with a copper roof. The indoor venue hosted ice hockey and figure skating events, as well as the last closing ceremony held in an indoor place until Vancouver 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.zoi84.ba/index.php?lang=en&sel=4|title=ZOI84 - Zetra - Bjelašnica - Igman|website=www.zoi84.ba|access-date=28 October 2017}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20081220140215/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,921555,00.html "A little touch of Heaven"] B.J. Phillips, Time, February 27, 1984[http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1984/or1984w.pdf 1984 Winter Olympics official report.] pp. 71-2, 87-88, 105-8.

From 1984 to 1991, Zetra remained in service as a venue for ice sports. It served as the venue for several international speed skating events, and several speed skating world records were broken here.

=Destruction=

The arena suffered substantial damage from shelling, bombing and fire by the Serb forces on Monday, May 25, 1992 during the Bosnian War.[https://archive.today/20120525205609/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1004835/2/index.htm "The Killing Ground"] William Oscar Johnson, Sports Illustrated, February 14, 1994 The interior of the structure, such as the basements and main hall, were put into service as a morgue,[http://www.nato.int/SFOR/cimic/zetra/t990322c.htm "Zetra returns to the future"] David Taylor, SFOR Informer #57, March 17, 1999[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/05/travel/05web1984.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=zetra&st=cse&oref=slogin "1984: Sarajevo"] Bonnie DeSimone, New York Times, February 5, 2006 storage space for medication and supplies, and a staging area for UN equipment.[https://web.archive.org/web/20090205204243/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1015533/index.htm "Sarajevo 2010? Collateral Damage"] Sports Illustrated, April 9, 1999[https://web.archive.org/web/20090205143438/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,976034,00.html "Guns Now, Butter Later"] James L. Graff, Time, July 20, 1992 The wooden seats from the venue were used as material for coffins for civilians killed in the war.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9907E2D81F3DF934A35754C0A96F958260 "TV SPORTS; Goodwill Games Headed for Bosnia?"] Richard Sandomir, New York Times, July 7, 1999[https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19930805/1714418/sarajevos-olympic-seats-are-now-coffin-boards "Sarajevo's Olympic Seats Are Now Coffin Boards"] Mark Milstein, London Observer news service, August 5, 1993

=Reconstruction=

After the war, it was discovered that though the building was badly damaged, the foundation was secure. Although the original blueprints were never recovered, in September 1997, reconstruction on the venue, facilitated by the SFOR, began. The International Olympic Committee donated $US 11.5 million to the project, which cost an estimated DM 32 million (€ 16.4 million). The reconstruction was completed in 1999.

Current use

Zetra hosted the Balkans Stability Pact Summit in July 1999.[http://www.nato.int/SFOR/historic-moments/990728%20Summit/t990728a.htm Balkans Stability Pact Summit] David Taylor, SFOR Informer, July 28, 1999 It is currently in service as a sporting arena. It is also used for music concerts, fairs and conferences. Sometimes, parts of the building are rented for other purposes (e.g. for the elections 2014, it was used as the Main Counting Center and election material storage space). The hall also contains a small museum about the 1984 Winter Olympics as well as a gym, billiard hall, bowling alley, pistol range, two cafes and other sports related content such as headquarters for various clubs and associations.{{Cite news| last = Roberts| first = Patrick| title = Side Order: In Sarajevo, a small museum with an Olympian message| newspaper = The Washington Post| date = 14 January 2011| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/14/AR2011011404095.html| access-date = 28 February 2011}}

Concerts and other events

{{hidden

| headercss = background: #ccccff; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;

| contentcss = text-align: left; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;

| header =List of Concerts and Other Events

| content =

;1980s

;1990s

;2000s

;2010s

;2020s

}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category inline|Olympic Hall Juan Antonio Samaranch}}

  • [http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/europe/bosnia_herzegovina/sarajevo_zetra.shtml World Stadiums]

{{Sarajevo}}

{{1984 Winter Olympic venues}}

{{Winter Olympic stadiums}}

{{Olympic venues figure skating}}

{{Olympic venues in ice hockey}}

Category:Venues of the 1984 Winter Olympics

Category:Indoor arenas in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Category:Ice hockey venues in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Category:Sports venues in Sarajevo

Category:Grad Sarajevo

Category:Olympic figure skating venues

Category:Olympic ice hockey venues

Category:Olympic stadiums

Category:Basketball venues in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Category:Handball venues in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Category:KK Bosna Royal

Category:Sports venues completed in 1982

Category:1982 establishments in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Category:Yugoslav Bosnian and Herzegovinian architecture