HAPPY BIRTHDAY “STADIO” – 31 ott

The Bologna Stade

celebrates 90 years today.

At the beginning of 1925, Leandro Arpinati who was the provincial party secretary of fasces of Bologna, launched a public subscription in order to find the necessary funds to build great and big versatile sports facilities. He asked to Bologna’s companies of any sector a “ voluntary” contribution about at last 1,000 Italian liras. Moreover, it got 1 million of Italian liras from the government while the NFP (National Fascit Party) gave the tune of 3 million of Italian Liras.
It’s really important to remember that, just only for your information , the Bologna Town Hall was no involved in the project.
After collecting cash, on 12nd June, 1925, the King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, laid a cornerstone of the sports facilities.
After two years ago, exactly on 31st October, 1926 Mussolini entered the stadium on horseback followed by a hierarchy procession and he wore a general and full dress uniform of the Militia and inaugurated it with a solemn speech in front of over one hundred thousand people of the Militia Volunteers for the national security, data taken from the period press.
We had to remember that inaugural ceremony of the fasces lictoraes, it’s called Littoriale in Italian, was carried on even if the works weren’t finished. In fact, the official photos didn’t show the unfinished pieces indeed. The technical features, especially the use of reinforced concrete, made them one of the best original buildings in Europe.

The versatile sports facilities, above the stadium equipped by an athletics track, hosts tennis fields and two swimming pools. The covered swimming pool that it warms in winter, it’s the first in Italy and the big uncovered one, are unequalled in Italy during that age.
The project of the big versatile sports facilities was made by Mr Umberto Costantini who was the Chief engineer of the Technical Office of the Fasces House . An important role was also made by the designer Giulio Ulisse Arata who took care of the architectural pieces in a very particular way.

On 29th May, 1927, the National Italian and Spanish Football teams disputed a friendly match at the stadium, called “ Littoriale” and in that occasion it was officially inaugurated the Stade.
The Italian players, called “Azzurri” beat the Red Furies with 2-0 and Riccardo Zanotta was the goalkeeper.
The match scoresheet
Italy vs Spain 2-0
Goals: Baloncieri 31′, own goal Prato 50′
Italy: Gianni ( Bologna) 1, Bellini ( Inter) 6, Caligaris ( Casale) 26, Genovesi (Bologna) 6, Bernardini ( Inter) 12, Giordani (Bologna) 1, Munerati ( Juventus) 2, Baloncieri ( Torino) 29 (captain), Libonatti (Torino)5, Della Valle (Bologna) 16, Levratto (Genoa) 15. Ct: Rangone.
Spain: Zamora, A. Olaso, Zaldua, Prats, Gamborena, Pena, Sagarzazu, L. Regueiro, Yerno. Echeveste, L. Olaso. Technical Commission.
Referee: Rous ( England)

After some days ago, the Bologna Football Club took possession of the stadium in the occasion of the sixth match of the final round of the National Division Championship, the North League hosted the Genoa on 6th June, 1927 and won.
The match scoresheet
Bologna vs Genoa 1-0
Goals: Martelli I 65′
Bologna: Gianni, Borgato, Gasperi, Genovesi, Baldi, Giordani, Martelli I, Pozzi, Della Valle III, Perin, Muzzioli.- Coach Felsner
Genoa: De Prà, Moruzzi, De vecchi, barbieri, Burlando, Ferro, gastaldi, Valentino, Levratto, Narizzano, Rosso – Coach Garbutt
Referee: Asei from Turin

In October, 1929, the versatile sports facilities was finished by the unveiling of Maratona’s Tower which was designed by Giulio Ulisse Arata. It’s 42 metres tall with a square basement of 42 metres for each side with a winged Victory with fasces lictoraes made by Mr Giuseppe Grazioso, a Modenese sculptor and professor at the Academy of Florence, After a bit year the Bologna played its first evening match in Italy. In fact, on 19th June, 1930 the ultra-modern lighting equipment was tested in the Littoriale stadium with a friendly match Bologna vs Casale and all the takings were given to the Monumental Cemetery of Grappa. On 5th June 1932, in the occasion of the thirtieth-three day of the Division, the first evening match of the Italian championship was played at the Littoriale. The Red-blue still hosted the Casale and won the match 4-2.
By the postwar restart, the sports facilities were recalled Town Hall. The first match played at the stadium with the new name was the derby with the Modena; it was on 14th October, 1945, the first day of the Division , exactly High Italy championship and the match ended 2-2.
On 3rd June, 1984, in the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the death of Mr Renato Dall’ Ara, before the first match Bologna-Trento 1-0 with Facchini’s goal – thanks to it, the Bologna came back to Division Two – the building was called with the great chairmain Renato Dall’ Ara in order to commemorate himself by placing the statue realized by an exceptional sculptor, the ex Red-blue Paolo Todeschini.
The stadium would have been deeply rebuilt due to 1990 World Championship by some renovations affected by The Authority of Fine Arts’ restrictions about the stadium as a national monument.

Written by Lamberto Bertozzi – Translated by Sabrina Montebugnoli

Legend Photo:

In the opening of write-up – 1926: A view of the Littoriale stadium taken by the area that, after several years, would be Piazza della Pace.

In the closing of write-up -1926: An air view of the Littoriale realised by the Air Ministry.

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