In 1958, a competition was held for the construction of Sofia’s first multi-purpose building, a vision that at the time seemed like pure futurism. The winning design was the work of architects Alexander Barov, Doncho Vladishki, Ivan Tatarov and Ivan Ivanchev – an architectural team whose name is behind some of the capital’s most iconic buildings. Thus, the Universiada Hall was born – featuring a sports hall capable of hosting any kind of game, a permanent grandstand with over 2,100 seats, as well as a mobile grandstand for 1,000 spectators. A training hall was also built, along with areas for journalists, reporters and commentators.

It opened its doors on 25 August 1961, just as Sofia was hosting the 1961 Universiade – international student games bringing together over 1,000 athletes from more than 30 countries. Special stamps were issued for the event by the artists Boris Angelushev and Stefan Kanchev.

Over the years, the hall has become the venue for all sorts of events – volleyball matches, basketball triumphs, conferences, rallies and concerts. If its walls could talk, they would probably tell tales of sporting stars, political speeches, and various local heroes who have passed through here to catch a glimpse of Sofia in the spotlight.