Thialf - Heereveen

The Thialf ice rink was first opened in 1892 in the north of Heerenveen (near today’s Thialfweg). The name Thialf comes from Thialfi, the swift-footed servant of Thor, the Germanic god of thunder. In 1967, to keep up with the international top, a new 400-metre ice rink was built at its current location. When Thialf became the second covered ice rink in the world in 1986, it was meant to be a place where world records would be broken.

However, that same year, new high-altitude indoor rinks were built in Salt Lake City (USA) and Calgary (Canada), making that goal harder to achieve. Still, Thialf remained a popular venue worldwide, thanks to the excellent quality of the ice.

Today, Thialf is still one of the fastest ice rinks in the world, ranked third overall. Major national and international skating events are held here, but you can also come and enjoy recreational skating.

During events, a ticket is required to sit in the stands. If you want to skate yourself, check the recreational opening hours on the website.