Scandinavium facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Scandinavium

Scandinavium in May 2009
Location	Valhallagatan 1 Gothenburg, Sweden
Coordinates	57°41′57″N 11°59′16″E / 57.69917°N 11.98778°E / 57.69917; 11.98778
Owner	Idrotts- och kulturcentrum Scandinavium i Göteborg AB
Operator	Got Event
Capacity	Handball: 12,312 Ice hockey: 12,044 Concerts: 14,000
Record attendance	14,606 (Whitney Houston; 29 May 1988)
Construction
Built	May 1969 — May 1971
Opened	18 May 1971
Renovated	2001, 2006
Expanded	1990
Construction cost	31 million SEK
Architect	Poul Hultberg
Tenants
Frölunda HC (SHL) (1971–present) Redbergslids IK (Handbollsligan) (2019–2020)

Scandinavium is a large indoor arena located in Gothenburg, Sweden. It's a place where many exciting events happen. Building the arena started in 1969 and it officially opened on May 18, 1971.

Scandinavium has hosted over fifty championship events. These include World Championships for handball and ice hockey, and even the Eurovision Song Contest in 1985. It is the home arena for Frölunda HC, a popular ice hockey team. It also hosts the yearly Göteborg Horse Show. Frölunda HC has won the top ice hockey trophy, the Le Mat Trophy, four times while playing here. Their most recent win was in 2019.

A Look Back: Scandinavium's History

Plans for an arena in Gothenburg started way back in 1931. The idea was to build a swimming hall and other sports facilities. However, these plans were put on hold many times. This was due to problems in Europe and World War II.

In 1948, a design competition was held for an indoor arena. The winning design came from a team led by architect Poul Hultberg. But again, finding money for the arena was a big challenge. The plans were delayed for a long time.

In 1962, a political party promised to build the arena if they won the election. They did win, and planning started again. In 1968, a committee decided the arena should be built for Gothenburg's 350th anniversary in 1971. This would be a lasting gift to the city.

A company was created to build the arena. Poul Hultberg updated his old designs. The estimated cost was 23 million Swedish Krona, which caused some debate. In May 1969, they found out there was no building permit, causing a small delay. When it was almost finished, there were so many flammable gases inside that a single spark could have caused an explosion!

The arena was completed in May 1971. It became the largest covered arena in northern Europe. It could hold 14,000 people. The final cost was 31 million Swedish Krona. In May 2023, the Gothenburg city council approved plans for a new sports facility. This new facility will eventually lead to the demolition of the current Scandinavium arena.

Inside Scandinavium: Structure and Features

Scandinavium with Valhalla Swimming Hall in the foreground

Scandinavium has a unique "sweeping appearance." This comes from its special saddle-shaped roof. The roof looks like a hyperbolic paraboloid, similar to the Saddledome in Calgary. Strong cables support this roof. These cables are anchored to a curved concrete ring beam.

The building is 14 meters (about 46 feet) tall from the floor to the top of the roof. Forty round columns and four strong pylons support the ring beam. These pylons are visible on the outside of the arena. They also hold ventilation equipment. The video screen, lights, and sound system hang from a separate cable system. This system is anchored to the four pylons. This design makes sure everything is stable for TV broadcasts.

The seating in Scandinavium is all on one level. The arena floor is a large, oval shape, about 4,100 square meters (44,132 square feet). This round design means there are more rows along the longer sides of the floor. The first six rows of seats can be moved in and out electrically. There are also 44 special executive boxes for guests.

The ice hockey rink is 61 by 30 meters (200 by 98 feet). This is the standard size for international games. In 2001, new boards were installed. These can be changed to fit different rink sizes or removed for other events. To give fans a better view, the arena uses clear glass barriers instead of traditional plastic with metal dividers.

For the Göteborg Horse Show, a new special surface for horses was bought in 2011. It cost two million Swedish Krona. The arena also has a McDonald's restaurant inside. You can see the famous golden arches on the arena's street sign.

Getting There: Location and Transport

Scandinavium with the Swedish Exhibition and Congress Centre and Gothia Towers in the background

Scandinavium is right in the middle of Gothenburg. It's part of a special area called Evenemangsstråket, or "The Event Street." Other fun places nearby include Ullevi Stadium, Liseberg amusement park, and Universeum science center.

It's very easy to get to Scandinavium using public transport. There's a tram stop named after the arena right outside. Several tram lines stop there. Another major transport hub, Korsvägen, is just 250 meters (about 820 feet) away. More tram and bus lines stop there. Soon, it will also have an underground train station. The Gothenburg Central Station is about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) away.

In 2008, there was a special event. People going to an ice hockey game could use their tickets for free public transport. This was a test to see if including transport fees in tickets would work for future events.

Scandinavium does not have public parking at the arena itself. This is because it's in a busy city center. Parking is only for sponsors, the press, and staff. Visitors are directed to 18 nearby parking lots and garages. These have a total of 7,000 parking spaces. A special system with digital signs helps guide drivers to available spots.

Exciting Events at Scandinavium

The arena during an ice hockey match. During a concert, the ice hockey rink is temporarily removed.

The arena during the Göteborg Horse Show.

Scandinavium has hosted many important and fun events over the years. Here are some of them:

The arena has also hosted a heat of Melodifestivalen almost every year since 2002. This is the competition to choose Sweden's song for Eurovision. The annual Göteborg Horse Show has been held here since 1977.

Many famous artists have performed concerts at Scandinavium. Some of the first big concerts were by The Who, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin in the early 1970s. In May 1988, pop star Whitney Houston set a record for attendance. She sold 14,606 tickets for her concert! The band Iron Maiden has played at the arena the most times, with nine performances.

Scandinavium was considered as a possible host for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013 and 2024. However, the Malmö Arena was chosen both times. Scandinavium did host a heat of Melodifestivalen 2024.

See also

In Spanish: Scandinavium para niños

• List of indoor arenas in Sweden
• List of indoor arenas in Nordic countries
• List of European ice hockey arenas