The Bolshoi (Sochi Ice Palace) is a unique structure not only in size but also in design. The Sochi Palace was built for the 22nd Winter Olympics in 2014, and was opened a year earlier - in 2013. Located on the territory of the Sochi Olympic Park.
Sochi Olympic Park
The Olympic Park is located in the administrative district of Sochi - Adler. The area is, one might say, gigantic. The Bolshoi (Sochi Ice Palace) is only one of the structures located in it. Among others - Fisht Stadium (where the opening and closing of the 2014 Olympics took place), Iceberg (with an arena for figure skating and speed skating). Adler Arena is another speed skating center, now transformed into the Expocenter. There is an ice cube curling ground, a hotel for IOC members, a journalism information center, and two training sites.
Interestingly, in the middle of the Olympic Park is a cemetery. The fact is that before the construction there was a settlement of Old Believers, who subsequently moved to the cottage village. The cemetery was unauthorized and the authorities did not know about it. When it was discovered, they decided to save it.
A very spacious area, which is difficult to get around on foot, so a bicycle rental service is available for tourists at the park entrance. You can also use rollers or scooters.
It’s better to come to the park in the late afternoon, as beautiful lights turn on. And in the season a very beautiful show of fountains. In the park you can ride on a mobile. The cost will depend on the number of passengers.
Entrance to the park is free.
Architectural features
"Big" is built in the form of a huge frozen drop. The structure is truly unique. This design was used for the first time in Russia. It is installed on a giant concrete platform that can withstand an earthquake of 9 points. It has a palace of 9 levels - floors, two of which are below the main level. One underground, another stylobate. "Stylobate" is not quite a familiar word for many. Use it to determine the room, located under an elevated platform (stylobate), on which the main building stands.
The dome in the form of a drop is also unique. It is designed so that it can serve as a screen. It can display any light installations, broadcast matches. When looking at pictures on the Internet, it is striking that the Bolshoi ice palace (Sochi) is always different. Photos taken in the evening or at night are fascinating. This is precisely due to the dome screen. In the afternoon, the walls seem mirrored, they shimmer in the sun, like a gem. With dusk, the walls wonderfully become transparent, and through them one can see everything that happens inside.
It is interesting that during the construction the Bolshoi Ice Palace (Sochi) thought about how the portable structure could be sent after the Olympics to those places where they need facilities for the development of sports. But the plans were not destined to materialize. A concrete slab, firmly embedded in the ground, prevented.
What's inside
The “Big” Ice Palace in Sochi is the arena of the Sochi Hockey Club. All hockey meetings are held here, as well as other competitions that require an ice stadium.
This is a huge room filled with light due to design features. There are few stairs, ramps are equipped everywhere. There are many exits on each floor in order to avoid crowding when exiting after the event.
The main ice arena framed by the stands. The capacity of the stands is up to 12 thousand spectators. The seats are compact in order to fit a larger number of spectators. Other, more comfortable seats are equipped with VIP stands.
The first four rows are equipped with a device for moving. This is necessary to change, if necessary, the area of the ice arena.
In the lower level there is a small training arena. She is somewhat smaller. There are training hockey club and young athletes involved in the ice palace.
"Big" (Sochi Ice Palace) is covered with a dome, the size of 12 hockey fields. A media cube hangs in the center. During matches or other events, close-ups of team players and the audience are broadcast here.
How to get there
Although one can no longer talk about where the Bolshoi ice palace (Sochi) is located. We’ll call everyone such: Adler district, Imereti lowland, Olympic Park.
You can get to the ice palace during the days of hockey matches from the railway station by buses specially launched by the Sochi hockey club. Moreover, upon presentation of a ticket for the match, travel will be free. If you don’t have a ticket, you can buy it right on the bus and attend a meeting of hockey players.
From Sochi railway station to the Olympic Park there is a minibus number 124C. There is bus number 57 from Adler’s Lenin Square. Bus number 125 goes from the bus station.
You can get to the park and by train "Lastochka", which run at intervals of half an hour and are currently the most reliable transport, as they do not depend on traffic jams, which are not uncommon in Sochi, especially in season.