The Wunderino-Arena (formerly known as Ostseehalle) is an indoor
arena
An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectator ...
, in
Kiel
Kiel () is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 246,243 (2021).
Kiel lies approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the southeast of the Jutland ...
, Germany. It is primarily used by
THW Kiel (
team handball
Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the ...
) and as a venue for rock/pop concerts. It holds up to 13,500 people.
History
Construction was determined in 1950 by the Kiel council meeting. The Osteseehalle was initiated on 17 June 1951, during the
Kiel Week and was eventually finished in 1952. For this purpose, the steel construction of a retired airplane hangar, from an airbase on the island
Sylt
Sylt (; da, Sild; Sylt North Frisian, Söl'ring North Frisian: ) is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, and well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline. It belongs to the North Frisian ...
, was dismantled and brought to Kiel.
Over the course of decades, the arena was constantly redeveloped, and since renovations finished in September 2001, it is now "prepared for the next 50 years", according to the operators. On 1 January 2008, the
Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe
The ''Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe'' ("Savings Banks Financial Group") is a network of public banks that together form the largest financial services group in Germany and in all of Europe. Its name refers to local government-controlled savings banks ...
purchased the naming rights. On 1 July 2020, the name changed to Wunderino Arena.
On 16 April 2002, Irish vocal pop band
Westlife
Westlife is an Irish pop vocal group formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. The group currently consists of members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was a member, until he left in 2004. The group temporar ...
held a concert for their
World of Our Own Tour
In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...
supporting their album
World of Our Own.
See also
*
List of indoor arenas in Germany
References
External links
*
Portrait of the Sparkassen-Arena
Sports venues in Schleswig-Holstein
Handball venues in Germany
Indoor arenas in Germany
Buildings and structures in Kiel
{{SchleswigHolstein-struct-stub