Aleksandar Nikolić Hall

Coordinates: 44°48′55.86″N 20°29′6.40″E / 44.8155167°N 20.4851111°E / 44.8155167; 20.4851111
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Aleksandar Nikolić Hall
Хала Александар Николић
Energoprojekt
Tenants
KK Crvena zvezda (1973–2023)
KK Partizan (1991–2019)
Maccabi Tel Aviv (2023–)

The Aleksandar Nikolić Hall (Serbian: Xала Александар Николић, romanizedHala Aleksandar Nikolić) is an indoor sports arena located in Palilula, Belgrade, Serbia. The official seating capacity of the arena is 8,000.

Formerly known as Pionir Hall (Serbian: Xала Пионир, romanized: Hala Pionir), it was renamed in 2016 in honour of Serbian basketball player and coach Aleksandar Nikolić. The hall is well known for its frequent matches between different basketball clubs, especially Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), Partizan, and foreign clubs. Projected by Ljiljana and Dragoljub Bakić, the hall has been described as the "architectural icon of the postmodernist Belgrade".[3]

History

Constructed in 1973 by Ljiljana and Dragoljub Bakić under a tight deadline, the modernist building won the architects a "Grand Prix of the Belgrade Architecture Salon".[4] The structure was noted for its use of repeated elements and natural light.

The arena hosted the final round of

FIBA EuroCup's 1997–98 season final.[5] In October 1989, the 16th World Judo Championships took place in Pionir Hall.[6]

The arena hosted several preliminary round games of the EuroBasket 2005 and 2013 World Women's Handball Championship.

On 23 February 2016, the name of the arena was changed from Pionir Hall to Hall Aleksandar Nikolić, after the former basketball player and coach, Aleksandar "Aca" Nikolić.

In April 2017, the arena played host to the Davis Cup World Group Quarterfinal between Serbia and Spain, with Serbia winning the tie 4-1 to advance to the semifinals.[7]

In 2019, the hall was thoroughly renovated, at a cost of €2 million euros. The renovation included new seats, telescopic stands, a new hardwood court and screens, new lighting, modernization of the ventilation and air-conditioning systems, and an increased seating capacity.[8][9][10][11]

In October 2023, it was decided that the Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv will play its home international games in Aleksandar Nikolić Hall due to a security concerns because of an ongoing Gaza war.[12]

  • Crvena zvezda players practice under the command of head coach Svetislav Pešić in 2008
    Crvena zvezda players practice under the command of head coach Svetislav Pešić in 2008
  • The venue's interior in June 2010
    The venue's interior in June 2010
  • Doubles playing during the Davis Cup match between Serbia and Greece, September 2024
    Doubles playing during the Davis Cup match between Serbia and Greece, September 2024

Concerts

List of Concerts
1970s
1970s
1980s
1980s
1990s
1990s
2000s
2000s
2010s
2010s

See also

References

  1. ^ izgleda NJEN DEČKO! BLIC VESTI BEOGRAD Vesić: Hala "Aleksandar Nikolić" dobila novo lice, mesta za 8.000 gledalaca
  2. ^ Počela rekonstrukcija hale "Aleksandar Nikolić"
  3. ^ Radoslav Ćebić (31 May 2018). "Tiranija Beograda na void" [Tyranny of the Belgrade Waterfront]. Vreme, No. 1430 (in Serbian).
  4. ^ "Ground-breaking Architecture | CAB".
  5. ^ "HALA PIONIR". Tasmajdan.co.rs. Retrieved 14 December 2017.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "Watch 1989 World Judo Championships Video". Ovguide.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  7. ^ "World Group Quarterfinal". Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  8. ^ Počela rekonstrukcija hale "Aleksandar Nikolić"
  9. ^ izgleda NJEN DEČKO! BLIC VESTI BEOGRAD Vesić: Hala "Aleksandar Nikolić" dobila novo lice, mesta za 8.000 gledalaca
  10. ^ Zablistao novi Pionir sa 8.000 mesta: Telegraf prvi ušao u renoviranu halu "Aleksandar Nikolić"
  11. ^ Hala „Aleksandar Nikolić” otvara se 1. oktobra
  12. ^ "Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv to play its EuroLeague home games in Belgrade, Serbia". euroleaguebasketball.net. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
Preceded by EuroBasket
Final venue

1975
Succeeded by
Country Hall du Sart Tilman
Liège
Preceded by
FIBA European Champions Cup
Final venue

1977
Succeeded by
Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle
Munich
Preceded by FIBA EuroCup
Final venue

1998
Succeeded by
Príncipe Felipe Arena
Zaragoza
Preceded by
None
Zvezde Granda
Final venue

2004
Succeeded by
Tašmajdan Stadium
Preceded by
Arena Łódź
Łódź
European Women's Volleyball Championship
Final venue

2011
Succeeded by