Kalich Arena

The Kalich Arena does not pretend to be anything other than a working sports hall. It sits in the Předměstí district of Litoměřice , where the original open-air rink stood for decades before a rebuild in 2009 turned it into a covered facility. The old winter stadium was built for the army sports club VTJ Dukla Litoměřice and carried the nickname Průvan aréna, or Draft Arena, for its exposure to the elements. When the new structure opened, the capacity dropped to 1,750, but the space gained two sports halls, a hostel, and a spa area. The name Kalich, or Chalice, comes from the local landmark and the team’s nickname, Kališníci; it is not a commercial sponsorship.

The playing surface is artificial ice, meeting IIHF standards, with dimensions of 59.5 by 29.5 meters. In the summer months the ice is replaced by an artificial surface for inline hockey. The arena is the home ground of HC Stadion Litoměřice, which competes in the Chance Liga. A notable match took place in October 2013, when the Kontinentální Hockey League (KHL) side HC Lev Praha visited; 1,344 spectators filled the seats for that game. In 1998 the venue hosted the IIHF Ball Hockey World Championship, where the Czech national team won gold, though the arena does not currently host major international tournaments or large-scale concerts.