Zetra Hall

Constructed as the crown jewel of the 1984 Winter Olympics, the Zetra complex was a groundbreaking feat of Yugoslav engineering and the "heart" of the Games' ice events. Situated in the Koševo neighborhood, it combined an ultramodern indoor arena with an outdoor speed skating oval to create one of Europe's most advanced winter sports centers. Today, it stands as a powerful symbol of Sarajevo’s resilience, having been meticulously rebuilt after its destruction during the 1990s conflict.

Fast Facts

  • Location: Koševo neighborhood, North Sarajevo (approximately 1,500m from the city center).
  • Official Name (Today): Juan Antonio Samaranch Olympic Hall.
  • Role in ’84: Primary venue for ice hockey, figure skating, and the Closing Ceremony.
  • Sports Hosted (Hall): Figure skating and ice hockey.
  • Sports Hosted (Rink/Oval): Speed skating.
  • Ceremonies: Closing Ceremony (February 19, 1984) and medal ceremonies for ice sports.
  • Capacity: ~8,500 (Olympic seating); up to 12,000 for modern events.
  • Key Dates: Officially opened February 14, 1982; Olympic events held February 8–19, 1984.
  • Architects: Lidumil Alikalfić and Dušan Đapa.
  • Status Today: Fully operational; hosts ice sports, concerts, and houses the Olympic Museum.

The Green Transversal: Planning the Zetra Complex

The development of Zetra—an abbreviation of Zelena Transverzala (the Green Transversal)—was the most ambitious and expensive project of the 1984 Games. Construction began in June 1981, following Sarajevo’s successful 1978 bid, and cost nearly one billion Yugoslav dinars. The complex was designed to fill a critical void in the city's infrastructure, providing a world-class indoor ice arena adjacent to the existing Koševo Stadium.

Architecture of the "Ice Palace"

Architects Lidumil Alikalfić and Dušan Đapa designed the hall as an "ultramodern, angular edifice" defined by its massive copper roof. The structure is supported by six giant steel trusses that span 105 meters (344 feet), allowing for a vast, column-free interior. While the exterior featured a striking modernist silhouette, the interior ceiling was left with exposed girders and utilities, emphasizing a functional, industrial aesthetic that earned it the title of the best Yugoslav architectural creation of 1982.

Unveiling the Most Modern Facilities in Europe

Zetra was completed 14 months ahead of the Games, a feat that "surprised and delighted" international sports authorities. Upon its official opening on February 14, 1982, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch described it as a "magnificent indoor sports hall" and noted that it was uncommon to see such facilities ready so far in advance. International observers, including the mayor of Innsbruck, praised the complex as being more advanced in construction and technical equipment than previous Olympic venues, labeling it the most modern sports facility in Europe.

The Heart of the Games: February 1984 at Zetra

During the twelve days of competition, Zetra served as the "heart" of the Sarajevo Olympics, drawing over 145,000 spectators to its various arenas. While other venues were scattered across the surrounding mountains, Zetra’s central location in the Koševo valley made it the primary destination for fans of ice sports and ceremonial pageantry.

Figure Skating: Perfection and the "Dance of the Gods"

The hall became the site of one of the most famous moments in Olympic history on Valentine’s Day, 1984. British ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean performed their free dance to Maurice Ravel’s Boléro, a routine that began with the pair on their knees to circumvent timing rules. Their performance was so flawless that they received a row of perfect 6.0 scores for artistic impression—an unprecedented feat. Press reports described the atmosphere as a "rare spectacle," with the pair receiving thunderous applause from a packed house.

Zetra also hosted the women's singles competition, where East German skater Katarina Witt secured the gold medal in a narrow victory over American Rosalynn Sumners. In the men’s event, American Scott Hamilton claimed the gold, despite a strong push from Canada’s Brian Orser, who won both the short and free programs but trailed Hamilton in the compulsory figures.

Ice Hockey: A Tournament of Giants

The Olympic Hall echoed with the cheers of over 100,000 hockey fans throughout the tournament. The premier event was the final-day matchup between the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. The vaunted Soviet team emerged victorious, securing the gold medal and cementing their dominance with a seven-game winning streak that became etched in the memories of all who witnessed it.

Speed Skating: Records on the Outdoor Oval

Just outside the main hall, the outdoor 400-meter speed skating oval hosted the world’s fastest racers. The facility, which covered 4,800 square meters, was praised for its quality despite the unpredictable weather. East German skater Karin Enke emerged as a standout hero of the Games, winning two gold and two silver medals on the Zetra ice. Her compatriot Andrea Schöne also claimed gold in the 3,000-meter race, leading a podium sweep for the German Democratic Republic.

The 1984 Closing Ceremony

On the evening of February 19, 1984, Zetra Hall hosted the Games' final act. Before a capacity crowd of 8,500 people, athletes from 49 nations gathered on the ice for a thirty-minute ceremony. In a departure from the grand scale of the opening at Koševo Stadium, the closing was intimate; due to the arena's size, each country was limited to six representatives on the floor. Following a figure skating exhibition, Juan Antonio Samaranch declared the Games "the best ever" before the Olympic flame was extinguished, accompanied by the traditional farewell: "Doviđenja, drago Sarajevo" (Goodbye, dear Sarajevo).

Maintaining the "Prettiest Sports Complex"

Beyond its architectural flair, Zetra was a triumph of 1980s industrial operation. The facility was designed for maximum utility, ensuring that the heavy scheduling of hockey and skating could proceed without the "improvisation" that had plagued previous Winter Games.

Technical Operations and Ice Management

To maintain world-class surfaces for both the indoor hall and the outdoor oval, Zetra utilized a centralized 2 MW power plant. This facility housed seven compressors and three thermal pumps to regulate the ice across different environments. The outdoor speed skating rink, covering 4,800 square meters, required precise temperature control to withstand the variable Balkan winter. In the hall, the 105-meter structure span allowed for a totally unobstructed rectangle for the rink, ensuring perfect sightlines for judges and spectators alike.

Atmosphere and the Spectator Experience

Spectators described the venue as a "veritable palace of sports" where the acoustics and modern lighting systems created a theater-like intensity. One of the hall’s seven press centers was located on-site, specifically equipped to handle the high-speed demands of ice hockey and skating journalists. The integration of modern technology was a point of pride; Zetra featured state-of-the-art electronic scoreboards and was a primary node for the Games' Teletext magazine, which provided real-time results and news in both English and Serbo-Croat to monitors throughout the complex.

Technical Profile

The following specifications represent the Zetra complex as it functioned during the XIV Olympic Winter Games:

  • Total Covered Area: 25,832 square meters.
  • Structure Span: 105 meters (steel framework).
  • Indoor Seating: 8,500 (expandable to 10,000 for ceremonies).
  • Outdoor Seating: 2,080 (speed skating stadium).
  • Ice Surface (Hall): Multipurpose artificial ice rink for hockey and figure skating.
  • Ice Surface (Oval): 400m speed skating track (4,800 square meters).
  • Cooling System: 2 MW power plant with 7 compressors and 3 thermal pumps.
  • Media Facilities: On-site Press Center with TV information systems and Teletext decoders.
  • Secondary Uses: Hall equipped with infrastructure for basketball, volleyball, handball, and athletics.

From Olympic Glory to War Damage

The transition from a world-class sporting venue to a theater of conflict was swift and devastating. In the six years following the Games, Zetra remained a vibrant center for ice sports and culture. Its last major moment of unity occurred in 1991, when it hosted the "YUTEL za mir" (YUTEL for Peace) concert, an anti-war event attended by tens of thousands of young people from across Yugoslavia.

By May 1992, the complex was targeted by Serb forces. On May 25, 1992, the arena suffered catastrophic damage from shelling and phosphorus bombs, which ignited the wooden interior and the legendary copper roof. While firefighters managed to save portions of the shell, the arena was left a "fire-streaked shell" with a gaping hole in the ceiling and wires dangling over an exposed floor.

A Shelter and a Cemetery

During the Siege of Sarajevo, the ruined Zetra complex was repurposed for survival. The deep basements and main hall were used by the United Nations and French peacekeepers as a staging area for equipment and a morgue for victims of the conflict. In a grim reversal of its Olympic purpose, the wooden seats that once held cheering fans were dismantled and used as raw material for coffins. Because the city's traditional cemeteries were often under sniper fire, the training fields and the soccer pitch adjacent to the speed skating oval were converted into an improvised graveyard, where neat rows of white headstones remain today as a testament to the thousands who perished.

The 1999 Reconstruction

In February 1994, Juan Antonio Samaranch returned to the besieged city and stood at center ice in the ruined hall where he had closed the Games ten years earlier. Visibly moved, he promised the International Olympic Committee would lead the reconstruction.

Work began in September 1997. The project cost $20 million, with the IOC contributing $11.5 million. Additional funding was provided by the European Union, the City of Barcelona, and various international skating and humanitarian groups. The reconstruction followed the original designs where possible, successfully restoring the hall to its status as the premier sports facility in the Balkans by March 1999.

Zetra Today: The Juan Antonio Samaranch Olympic Hall

In 2010, following the death of the former IOC president, the venue was officially renamed the Juan Antonio Samaranch Olympic Hall to honor his role in the building's resurrection. The "new" Zetra remains a cornerstone of Sarajevo’s social and sporting life.

Legacy and Current Use

Today, the complex serves a wide variety of functions beyond its primary ice rink. The arena regularly hosts international sporting events—such as the 2019 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival—as well as major concerts, trade fairs, and political conferences. Despite the surrounding memorials, the hall is once again a place of "new signs of life," reclaiming its role as a regional hub for youth and athletics.

Visiting Zetra

  • Access: Located in the Koševo district, the hall is easily accessible by public transport or a 20-minute walk from the city center.
  • Recreation: During winter months, the rink is often open for public skating sessions, continuing the legacy of "mass sports and recreation" intended by its 1980s planners.
  • Etiquette: Visitors should be mindful that the adjacent fields are active cemeteries; a respectful tone is expected when moving through the complex grounds.