Žalgirio Arena is a multi-purpose indoor
arena
An arena is a large enclosed venue, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, Music, musical performances or Sport, sporting events. It comprises a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for specta ...
in the
New Town of
Kaunas, Lithuania. The arena is located on an island of the
Nemunas River and is the largest indoor arena in
the Baltics. The arena's maximum possible
seating capacity
Seating capacity is the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, in terms of both the physical space available and limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that ...
for basketball games is 15,415, and 20,000 spectators for concerts (when the stage is in the middle,
and 17,000 when stage is in the side of the arena). The Žalgiris Arena replaced the
Kaunas Sports Hall as a major venue in the city.
The Žalgiris Arena hosts basketball and other sports matches, concerts, fairs, exhibitions, and various other events. The arena's namesake basketball club
BC Žalgiris, which currently competes in the domestic
LKL and the
EuroLeague, uses the facility for all of its European and LKL home fixtures.
BC Žalgiris and Žalgiris Arena has had the highest average attendance in the
Euroleague in
2011–12,
2012–13,
2017–18,
2018–19,
2019–20,
2020–21.
Žalgirio Arena belongs to Žalgiris Group, which operates the largest
Darius and Girėnas Stadium in the
Baltic States and the
Kaunas Sports Hall.
History
The arena's construction started in September 2008; the main contractor of the arena is the Lithuanian construction company ''Vėtrūna'', chief architect – Eugenijus Miliūnas. The total cost of the arena is estimated to be 168.8 million
litas (50 million
euro
The euro (currency symbol, symbol: euro sign, €; ISO 4217, currency code: EUR) is the official currency of 20 of the Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Union. This group of states is officially known as the ...
s). .
In March 2010, the Kaunas City Municipality named the arena Žalgiris Arena.
The arena was opened on 18 August 2011 with a basketball match between
Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
and
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
In 2015, 2016 and 2017, Žalgiris Arena was voted the best in the entire league in a survey of EuroLeague general managers.
Arena information
The Žalgiris Arena is the largest in the Baltic states and covers . It holds 20,000 spectators for
concert
A concert, often known informally as a gig or show, is a live performance of music in front of an audience. The performance may be carried by a single musician, in which case it is sometimes called a recital, or by a musical ensemble such as an ...
s. It is situated in the eastern part of the Nemunas river island and its shape has nine corners. The arena's
facade is made of high-end and highly transparent glass. A part of the facade has a unique metal wall, which is already naturally encrusted with rust.
It is equipped with some unique technical solutions, such as power windows and modern ice-making installation. Advanced audio equipment (amplifiers, digital mixing engines and stage boxes) by
Yamaha is installed in the Žalgiris Arena.
In April 2016, the facade of the Žalgiris Arena was equipped with the largest LED screen in Lithuania and one of the largest in Europe, which is also used as the name of the arena.
There are 11 spaces in the arena, where more than 300 various events take place annually and the events are attended by more than 950,000 visitors per season.
The arena has 68 VIP boxes and two
club seating zones, whose visitors can enjoy exclusive privileges and service.
Žalgiris Arena pays great attention to environmental solutions: in 2015, the arena became the first arena in the world to receive the BREEAM In-Use sustainable building certificate, in 2022, a 500 kilowatt solar power plant was installed on the roof of the arena and in 2023, an apiary was established on Nemunas Island near the Zalgiris Arena Swimming Pool Complex. In 2024, the arena lighting was replaced with modern and energy-efficient LED lighting and to promote sustainability, disposable cups were eliminated in the arena.
In September 2024, the video cube in the arena was renovated, becoming not only larger, but also twice as high in resolution.
The complex has been expanded with a 50-meter Olympic pool with 10 lanes and seating for 500 spectators was installed in the arena and opened its doors in September 2022. Adjacent is an additional 25-meter pool with two 90-cm-deep lanes for teaching children to swim. The pool, equipment and facilities are adapted to meet the requirements of the
International Swimming Federation (FINA) allowing it to host international level competitions.
Home team
BC Zalgiris is the most titled Lithuanian basketball team, whose home has been the Zalgirio Arena since its opening.
Major concerts
Since the arena's opening, the biggest Lithuanian and world-class music stars have held their concerts at the Žalgiris Arena, such as:
James Blunt,
Hurts Hurts may refer to:
* Pain, injury or suffering
* Hurts (duo), British musical duo
* Hurts (song), "Hurts" (song), by Emeli Sandé, 2016
* "Hurts", a song by Lany from ''LANY (album), LANY'', 2017
* "Hurts", a song by Mika from ''No Place in Heaven ...
,
Jean Michel Jarre,
Mireille Mathieu,
The Orchestra,
Lenny Kravitz,
Gytis Paškevičius,
Toto Cutugno,
Suzi Quatro,
Chris Norman,
Bonnie Tyler,
Rammstein,
Zucchero,
Lizz Wright,
The Prodigy
The Prodigy are an English electronic music band formed in Braintree, Essex, in 1990 by producer, keyboardist, and songwriter Liam Howlett. The original line-up also featured
Rapping, MC and vocalist Maxim (musician), Maxim, dancer and occasi ...
,
Marilyn Manson,
Red Hot Chilli Peppers,
Sting,
Virgilijus Noreika,
RONDO
The rondo or rondeau is a musical form that contains a principal theme (music), theme (sometimes called the "refrain") which alternates with one or more contrasting themes (generally called "episodes", but also referred to as "digressions" or "c ...
,
Katie Melua,
Smokie,
Thomas Anders,
Joel Edwards,
Gregorian,
Stasys Povilaitis,
Sel,
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
,
Jazzu,
Andrius Mamontovas,
Foje,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
,
Robertino Loreti,
Marijonas Mikutavicius,
Naktines personos,
Sarah Brightman,
Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Helsinki, formed in 1993. The band is currently composed of three classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso. Originally a Classical music, classical- ...
,
Cassandra Wilson,
Tom Jones,
Brit Floyd,
Lara Fabian,
Vaidas Baumila,
Riccardo Fogli,
Donatas Montvydas,
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Frequently referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Princess of Pop", she has achieved recognition in both the music industry and fas ...
,
Dzordana Butkute,
Leon Somov & Jazzu,
Roxette,
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler (; born 8 May 1975) is a Spanish singer and songwriter. He started his recording career in the mid-1990s on the Mexican label Fonovisa where he released three Spanish albums ''Enrique Iglesias (album), Enrique ...
,
Saulius Prusaitis,
Antis,
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter Williams (born 13 February 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. He found fame as a member of the pop group Take That from 1990 to 1995, launching a solo career in 1996. His debut studio album, ''Life thru a Lens'', was re ...
,
Edgaras Lubys,
Rosita Civilyte,
Vilhelmas Cepinskis,
Scorpions,
Boney M.,
Lilas ir Innomine,
Mariah Carey,
Take 6
Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group integrates jazz with spiritual and inspirational lyrics. Take 6 has received several Grammy Awards as well as D ...
,
Mika,
Muse
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...
,
Iron Maiden,
Merunas Vitulskis,
Ace of Base,
Dr. Alban,
Haddaway,
Snap!,
La Bouche,
Inga Valinskiene,
C. C. Catch,
Fancy
Fancy may refer to:
Music Albums
* ''Fancy'' (Bobbie Gentry album), 1970
* ''Fancy'' (Idiot Flesh album), 1997
* ''Fancy'' (video), a 2007 video album by Les Claypool
Songs
* "Fancy" (Bobbie Gentry song), 1969, covered by Reba McEntire in 19 ...
,
Martynas Levickis,
Blue
Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB color model, RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB color model, RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between Violet (color), violet and cyan on the optical spe ...
,
Scooter,
2 Unlimited,
Sash!,
Kastytis Kerbedis,
Ovidijus Vysniauskas,
Dianne Reeves,
Patricia Kaas,
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado ( , ; born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She has sold over 45 million records, including 35 million in album sales worldwide, making her one of the most successful Canadian artists. Critics have noted ...
,
Romas Dambrauskas,
Andrea Bocelli,
DJ BoBo,
Queen + Adam Lambert,
Vytautas Siskauskas,
Alphaville,
Silent Circle,
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk (, ) is a Germany, German Electronic music, electronic band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk was among the first successful a ...
,
G&G Sindikatas,
Edmundas Kucinskas,
Laura Mvula,
Bryan Adams
Bryan Guy Adams (born November 5, 1959) is a British and Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and photographer. He is estimated to have sold between 75 million and more than 100 million album, records and Single (music), si ...
,
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English musician and singer-songwriter. In 1965, he co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd as the bassist. Following the departure of the group's main songwriter Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became ...
,
Radži,
Albano,
Linas Adomaitis,
Mantas Jankavicius,
Placido Domingo,
Inga Jankauskaite,
ATB,
Eiffel 65,
Sonique,
Coco Star,
Bobby McFerrin,
Il Volo,
Salvador Sobral,
Eros Ramazotti,
Asmik Grigorian,
Chris de Burgh,
Dieter Bohlen,
Ten Walls,
Alina Orlova,
Vidas Bareikis,
Beissoul & Einius,
8 Kambarys,
Justinas Jarutis,
Jessica Shy,
Renée Fleming,
Dirty Loops,
Khalid,
OneRepublic
OneRepublic is an American pop rock band from Colorado Springs, Colorado, formed in 2002. The lineup currently consists of Ryan Tedder (lead vocals, piano), Zach Filkins (guitar, viola), Drew Brown (musician), Drew Brown (guitar), Brent Kutzle ( ...
,
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1978. The group were originally put together as the backing band for singer David Coverdale, who had recently left Deep Purple. Though the band quickly developed into their ow ...
,
Dua Lipa,
LP,
Royal Philharmonic,
Il Divo,
OG Version,
Elderbrook,
Daddy Was A Milkman,
Natalija Bunke,
Gabriele Vilkickyte,
Saules kliosas,
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest Cities in Israel, city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. In its population was . Known as "the Arab capital of Israel", Nazareth serves as a cultural, political, religious, economic and ...
,
Sisters On Wire,
Kurt Elling,
Louis Tomlinson,
50 Cent,
Gabrielius Vagelis,
Army of Lovers,
Bad Boys Blue,
Till Lindemann,
Imany,
Loreen,
Antikvariniai Kaspirovskio dantys,
Gregory Porter,
GJan,
Ba.,
Mokinukes,
Dinamika,
Hiperbolė,
Monika Liu,
69 Danguje,
Snarky Puppy,
J Balvin
José Álvaro Osorio Balvín (born 7 May 1985), known professionally as J Balvin, is a Colombian singer. He is one of the best-selling Latin artists, with 35 million records sold worldwide. Balvin was born in Medellín. At age 17, he moved to th ...
,
La Bouche,
Thirty Seconds to Mars,
The Italian Tenors,
Cascada
Cascada (, Spanish language, Spanish, 'Waterfall'), is a German dance music act founded in 2004 by singer Natalie Horler and DJs/composers/ producers DJ Manian and DJ Yanou.
They functioned as a trio from 2004 to 2021, with their last track ...
,
Vengaboys,
Basshunter,
2 Unlimited,
Jason Donovan,
Lian Ross,
Mr. President,
Jonas Nainys,
Alfredo Rodríguez,
Groove Coverage,
Alice Deejay,
Sylver,
Karaliska erdve,
Vienna Mozart Orchestra,
Žemaitukai,
Zilvinas Zvagulis,
Ieva Dudaite,
Delfinai,
Rod Stewart
Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
,
Martin Garrix,
Benny Benassi,
Dynoro and many others.
Major sports events
Since 2011, Žalgiris Arena has hosted competitions in basketball, indoor soccer, handball, judo, dance sports, ice hockey, figure skating, boxing and other sports.
Zalgirio Arena held the playoffs and finals of the 37th European Basketball Championship (
EuroBasket 2011), which took place in September 2011.
In 2012, the Žalgiris Arena hosted the
FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup.
Motocross World Championship event Night of the Jumps also took place in Žalgiris Arena in March 2013. This event was part of Night of the Jumps world tour.
The
King Mindaugas Cup Final Four was held at the Žalgiris Arena in 2017 and 2024. The home team became champions both times.
The arena hosted The
2018 IIHF World Championship Division I matches.
In 2020, the arena hosted one of
FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament. In its final, Lithuania lost to Slovenia, which won an Olympic berth.
The arena hosted the
2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup group, play-offs and final matches.
On 19 December 2022, Kaunas was announced as a host city for the
2023 EuroLeague Final Four, the first in
Lithuania's sports history. The Final Four was held on 19–21 May 2023 in the Žalgiris Arena and the
Real Madrid Baloncesto won the Championship Game versus the
Olympiacos B.C. 79–78.
On 10–14 January 2024, Žalgirio arena hosted
ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2024.
The arena will host the
World Modern Pentathlon Championships in August 2025. Swimming competitions will be held in the adjacent pool.
Žalgirio arena will also co-host the
UEFA Futsal Euro 2026.
EuroLeague attendance
This is a list of
EuroLeague games attendance of
Žalgiris at Žalgiris Arena.
Other events
The
M.A.M.A. awards have been held annually at Žalgiris Arena since 2012.
In 2020 and 2025, the arena hosted the final of the Lithuanian national selection for the
Eurovision Song Contest.
Notable facts
On October 28, 2012, the
VTB United League game between
BC Zalgiris and
PBC CSKA Moscow set an all-time arena record for a basketball game - 15,812 spectators.
On September 27, 2014, the jersey of
BC Žalgiris player
Arvydas Sabonis, with the number 11 was unveiled at the Žalgiris Arena. This number is no longer used by the club.
Lithuanian dance music group
Sel is the only one to have managed to gather more than 20,000 spectators in the arena. They did this three times - in 2014, 2015 and 2024.
On March 25, 2015, the jersey of
BC Žalgiris player
Modestas Paulauskas with the number 5 was unveiled at the Žalgiris Arena. This number is no longer used by the club.
In 2016, the arena's video cube was dismantled for a concert by the British rock band
Muse
In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, the Muses (, ) were the Artistic inspiration, inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, lyric p ...
. This is the only time in the arena's history that it has been dismantled.
On April 22, 2017, the jersey of
BC Žalgiris coach
Vladas Garastas was raised at the Žalgiris Arena.
In 2018, during the
EuroLeague playoff matches between
BC Zalgiris and
Olympiacos B.C., the
2018 IIHF World Championship Division I matches was held at Žalgiris Arena, so for this decision, the basketball court and part of the stands were installed on the ice.
On April 23, 2019, the jersey of
BC Žalgiris coach
Jonas Kazlauskas was raised at the Žalgiris Arena.
Dua Lipa's concert officially sold the most tickets for a concert by a foreign artist in an indoor venue in Lithuania.
British-Albanian singer
Dua Lipabr>
revealedthat she had to make do with one set of clothes during her performance at the Žalgiris Arena because her stage costumes did not arrive on time.
On October 18, 2022, the jersey of
BC Žalgiris player
Paulius Jankūnas with the number 13 was unveiled at the Žalgiris Arena. This number is no longer used by the club.
On November 1, 2024, during a
EuroLeague game between
BC Zalgiris and
AS Monaco, one of the spectators in the arena suffered a cardiac arrest. Fortunately, prompt assistance helped revive the man.
See also
*
List of indoor arenas in Lithuania
*
Darius and Girėnas Stadium
*
Kaunas Sports Hall
*
BC Žalgiris
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zalgirio Arena
Indoor arenas in Lithuania
Basketball venues in Lithuania
Basketball in Kaunas
Landmarks in Kaunas
Sport in Kaunas
Buildings and structures in Kaunas
2011 establishments in Lithuania
Sports venues completed in 2011