Here are the main hockey arenas in Saint Petersburg, Russia:
Ice Palace (Ледовый дворец)
- Opened: 2000, built for the IIHF World Championship
- Capacity: ~12,300 seats; rink size 60 × 26 m
- Tenants: SKA Saint Petersburg (KHL) from 2005 until moving in 2024
- Usage: Hosts ice hockey, figure skating, concerts, exhibitions, public skating, and other sports like basketball, boxing, wrestling
- Facilities: VIP boxes, press center, ~30 cafés, adaptable seating for different events
- Location: Prospekt Pyatiletok, 1, Nevsky District; convenient transit via metro & buses
SKA Arena (СКА Арена)
- Opened: December 2023 as the new home of SKA St. Petersburg
- Capacity: 22,500 for hockey – currently the world’s largest hockey arena
- Cost & Design: Built for ₽ 60 bn (~€646 M); designed by Coop Himmelb(l)au
- Events: Equipped for 20+ sports, plus large-scale concerts, exhibitions, corporate events
- Notable: Broke world attendance record (21,481) during its inaugural KHL game February 2024
- Recent: Damaged by fire in June 2024; SKA temporarily used Ice Palace before reopening in December 2024
Comparison at a Glance
| Arena | Opened | Capacity | Primary Tenant | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Palace | 2000 | ~12,300 | SKA (until 2024) | Multi-use, concerts, public skating, adaptable configuration |
| SKA Arena | 2023 | 22,500 | SKA (2024–present) | Largest hockey arena, modern infrastructure, hosts sports & major events |
Summary
- The Ice Palace remains a well-established 12,300-seat venue used for diverse sports and entertainment.
- The SKA Arena is the new flagship, offering modern amenities and holding global records in size and architectural design.