Alexandreio Melathron (Nick Galis Hall)
Alexandreio Melathron Nick Galis Hall (Greek: Αλεξάνδρειο Μέλαθρον, Σάλα Νίκος Γκάλης) is an indoor sports arena that is located in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is also often referred to as the Palais des Sports (Greek: Παλαί ντε Σπορ).
Palais des Sports | |
 Aerial view of the Trade Fair area. The building down left is Alexandreio. | |
| Full name | Alexandreio Melathron |
|---|---|
| Former names | Alexandreio Melathron |
| Location | Thessaloniki, Greece |
| Coordinates | 40°37′36.83″N 22°57′25.99″E |
| Public transit | Panepistimio (2020) |
| Owner | Greek Ministry of Culture, General Secretariat of Sports |
| Capacity | Basketball: 5,138 (permanent seating)[1] 6,000 (with temporary seating)[2][3] |
| Surface | Parquet |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 29 June 1966 |
| Renovated | 2004, 2015 |
| Architect | Petros Gianettos, M. Guyon and T. Jeanblock |
| Tenants | |
| Aris Thessaloniki B.C. | |
The arena is mainly used to host basketball and volleyball games. The arena's main hall, called Nikos Galis Hall, has a permanent seating capacity of 5,138,[4] and a capacity of 6,000 with temporary seating,[5][6] for basketball games. The arena also contains a practice court, club offices, shops, and a museum dedicated to the Aris basketball club. The arena hosts the home games of Aris Thessaloniki B.C., a member of the Greek League.
Location
The Alexandreio Melathron Nikos Galis Hall indoor arena is located in downtown Thessaloniki, inside the International trade fare grounds. Bus lines #2, #7, #8, #10, #14, #27, #31, and #58, running along Egnatia Avenue, stop right in front of the arena. Ιn 2020, the new metro station, "Panepistimio", which is located near to the arena, will open.
Construction
The arena was designed by the architects P. Gianettos, M. Guyon and T. Jeanblock between 1960 and 1962. It was built in 1966. The structure shares two of the architects with the Palais des Sports de Gerland in Lyon and has many similarities.
The building was redeveloped and updated in 2004, in preparation for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The updates involved reconstruction of all the building's external and internal areas. Apart from what is directly visible to everybody, other works included new electrical and mechanical updates, air-conditioning, and audiovisual facilities. New seats, CCTV, and new lighting were also installed.
These updates resulted in a lower permanent seating capacity (5,138 compared to the previous 6,000) for Alexandreio Arena, which reopened its gates in late 2004. The arena was again updated in 2015.[7]
History
The arena was named after Alexander the Great, the king (basileus) of ancient greek kingdom of Macedonia. It is also commonly referred to as the "Palais des Sports" (meaning "Sports Palace", in French). Under its former names, the arena was the first large indoor basketball arena built in Greece, and remained the largest until the year 1985, when the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Athens, was completed and opened to the public.
Being part of the Thessaloniki International Fair, the arena also serves for many purposes other than sports. It has hosted many international basketball events, and was also the home arena for both "arch-rivals", Aris B.C. and PAOK B.C. for many years; up until the year 2000, when PAOK B.C. moved into their own new stadium, the P.A.O.K. Sports Arena.
On May 8, 2013, at an event honoring the well-known retired former Aris player, Nikos Galis, the Greek deputy culture minister, Giannis Ioannidis, announced that the main hall of the arena was to be renamed to "Nikos Galis Hall".[8]
Ownership
The arena is owned and operated by the Greek Ministry of Culture's General Secretariat of Sports.
See also
References
- "Capacity 5.138 seats". Archived from the original on 2017-07-02. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
- «Διαμαντίδης ΟΕ ΟΕ ΟΕ» από 6.000 κόσμο στο Nick Galis Hall! (vid) (in Greek).
- Antetokounbros: Next stop, Athens!
- "Capacity 5.138 seats". Archived from the original on 2017-07-02. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
- «Διαμαντίδης ΟΕ ΟΕ ΟΕ» από 6.000 κόσμο στο Nick Galis Hall! (vid) (in Greek).
- Antetokounbros: Next stop, Athens!
- Το νέο "Nick Galis Hall" σε κιτρινόμαυρο φόντο (in Greek).
- Ekathimerini.com Nick Galis: A night to remember.
External links
