Velika dvorana Graberje

The **Arena Varaždin** stands apart from the older sports complexes in the city because it was built specifically for a global stage. It opened in **2008**, arriving just in time to host matches for the **IHF World Men's Handball Championship**.

The building itself is a study in contrast to its predecessor. The old hall, with just over **500** seats, is a set of balloon structures currently slated for demolition and replacement. The new arena, by comparison, holds **5,000** people. The distinction is not merely numerical but atmospheric; the old parquet floor at Graberje feels worn, while the new venue at **Šetalište Franje Tuđmana 1** was designed for international broadcasts.

The primary tenant is **GRK Varaždin**, the local handball side that calls this larger space home. They share the court with **OK Cratis Varaždin**, although the basketball team, **KK Varaždin**, still prefers the smaller, more intimate setting of the school gym. The transition between the two venues is stark. When the handball team plays in the main hall, the acoustics change; the stands are higher, and the view is wider. The history between the two grounds adds an edge to the city’s sporting culture, as fans move from the cramped, familiar halls of the past to the expansive, modern facility of the present.

The old facility’s demolition is set to begin in **2025**, marking the end of an era for the **Graberje** complex. Until then, the new arena remains the primary hub for serious competition. The surface is wooden parquet in both cases, but the scale of play here is different. The line has barely moved in terms of the city’s sporting identity, yet the physical space has grown tenfold.