Palace of Youth and Sports

Palace of Youth and Sports (Albanian: Pallati i Rinise dhe Sporteve; Serbian: Палата омладине и спорта, romanized: Palata omladine i sporta; formerly named "Boro and Ramiz") is a multi-purpose hall located in Pristina, Kosovo. It includes two arenas, the larger of which has a capacity of 8,000 spectators, and the smaller a capacity of 3,000 spectators. It also includes a shopping mall, indoor parking, two convention halls and a library.[1] The building in its entirety measures over 10,000 square meters.[2]

Pallati i Rinisë dhe Sporteve
Palace of Youth and Sports in April 2014
Former namesBoro and Ramiz
LocationPristina, Kosovo[lower-alpha 1]
Coordinates42.6611°N 21.1572°E / 42.6611; 21.1572
OwnerDisputed between the Municipality of Pristina and the Kosovo Privatization Agency
Capacity8,000 (larger arena)
3,000 (smaller arena)
Construction
Broke ground1975
Opened1977 (1977)
Renovated2000
ArchitectŽivorad Janković and Halid Muhasilović
Tenants
KB Prishtina (basketball)
Website
www.pallatirinise.com

History

In 1975, a referendum was held, and citizens of Pristina, then capital of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo, voted in favor of building a large hall.[3] The complex was finished in 1977. It was originally named "Boro and Ramiz" (Albanian: Boro-Ramiz, Serbo-Croatian: Боро и Рамиз), after two World War II Yugoslav Partisans and People's heroes of Yugoslavia, Boro Vukmirović and Ramiz Sadiku. Vukmirović was a Serb, while Sadiku was an Albanian, therefore named so to symbolize brotherhood and unity between Serbs and Albanians.[2][4]

The building was heavily damaged in a fire on 25 February 2000.[5] It was partially renovated, but the larger arena and the convention hall are still out of use.[2]

The ownership of the building is disputed between the Municipality of Pristina and the Kosovo Privatization Agency.[3]

Building

The smaller arena is mostly used for basketball by KB Prishtina. In April 2014, it hosted the Final Four of the Balkan Basketball League.[6] The arena is also used for futsal, handball, athletics, basketball, volleyball, numerous other sporting competitions, various concerts, exhibitions, fairs, conventions, and congresses.

The larger arena is currently out of use due to a fire in 2000. Commentators and fans have called for the "Greater Coliseum" to be renovated and used for KB Pristina's home games.[7]

The shopping center has a series of services such as a joint parking lot, 6D cinema, wellness center, numerous restaurants, cafes, and stores.

The Newborn monument is located in front of the building.[8]

Notes
  1. Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia. The Republic of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on 17 February 2008, but Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. The two governments began to normalise relations in 2013, as part of the 2013 Brussels Agreement. Kosovo is currently recognized as an independent state by 97 out of the 193 United Nations member states. In total, 112 UN member states recognized Kosovo at some point, of which 15 later withdrew their recognition.

References
  1. Staletović, Lj. (26 February 2000). "Prištinska lepotica" [Beauty of Pristina] (in Serbian). Glas javnosti. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  2. ""BORO & RAMIZI" & CO" (PDF). Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  3. "Kur nisi ndërtimi i Pallatit "Boro-Ramizi", 1975" [When construction began of the Palace "Boro-Ramiz", 1975] (in Albanian). Koha Ditore. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  4. Čolaku, Petrit (15 January 2016). "Zaboravljeni heroji srpsko-albanskog prijateljstva". BIRN. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  5. "Nema više "Bore i Ramiza"" [No more "Boro and Ramiz"] (in Serbian). Glas javnosti. 26 February 2000. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  6. Official: Pristina organizes 'Final Four' of the Balkan League - Online News | Lajme Online Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Getoar Mjeku, "Shpallje: Shes shpirtin," Plisi (27 Sept. 2014)
  8. "RITA ORA STAYS IN KOSOVO". M-Magazine. 10 September 2012. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
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