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136-562: Stadio Olimpico (English: Olympic Stadium ), colloquially known as l'Olimpico (The Olympic), is an Italian multi-purpose sports venue located in Rome . Seating over 70,000 spectators, it is the largest sports facility in Rome and the second-largest in Italy , after Milan ' s San Siro . It formerly had a capacity of over 100,000 people, and was also called Stadio dei Centomila (Stadium of

272-638: A branch of the Bourbons ascended to the throne of Sicily and Naples. During the Napoleonic Wars , north and central Italy were reorganised as Sister Republics of France and, later, as a Kingdom of Italy . The south was administered by Joachim Murat , Napoleon's brother-in-law. 1814's Congress of Vienna restored the situation of the late 18th century, but the ideals of the French Revolution could not be eradicated, and re-surfaced during

408-525: A crucially innovative role in financial development by devising banking practices, and enabling new forms of social organisation. In coastal and southern areas, maritime republics dominated the Mediterranean and monopolised trade to the Orient. They were independent thalassocratic city-states, in which merchants had considerable power. Although oligarchical, the relative political freedom they afforded

544-533: A famous meeting between Garibaldi and Victor Emmanuel II , the last king of Sardinia, during which Garibaldi shook Victor Emanuel's hand and hailed him as King of Italy . Cavour agreed to include Garibaldi's southern Italy in a union with the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1860. This allowed the Sardinian government to declare a united Italian kingdom on 17 March 1861, with Victor Emmanuel II as its first king. In 1865,

680-548: A goal by Harald Nielsen . In 1960, UEFA established the European Championship . The host of the finals would be chosen from the four countries who reached the semi-finals. Italy did not reach that stage in the first two editions, but in 1968 it reached the "Final Four" with England , Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union and was chosen by UEFA to host the final tournament . Florence and Naples hosted

816-580: A goal by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge . Again Czechoslovakia featured in the stadium during the group stage, with a win 3–1 over Greece . Italy drew 0–0 against Belgium , preventing the home side from reaching the final. The fourth game at the Olimpico was the championship final on 22 June 1980, when Belgium faced West Germany. Germany won the match 2–1, with a double by Horst Hrubesch ; the Belgian goal

952-446: A goal by Ricardo Bochini . In 1974, the stadium hosted the 11th European Athletics Championships . The event showcased two world-class Italian athletes: sprinter Pietro Mennea (winner of the 200 metres and runner-up in the 100 metres and the 4×100 relay) and high-jumper Sara Simeoni , bronze medalist in the high jump at 1.89 metres. The Olimpico was chosen in 1975 for the 8th University Games , originally awarded to Belgrade (which

1088-458: A light plant integrated into the roof frame. The estimated cost of the renovation was ₤ 35–40 billion (€17.5–20 million). CONI appointed the joint venture CO.GE.FAR. as the general contractor ready to begin work. In November 1987, three Italian environmental organizations ( Italia Nostra , Legambiente and WWF Italia ) filed an appeal in Lazio's Administrative Regional Court, saying

1224-756: A member of NATO . The Marshall Plan revived the economy, which, until the late 1960s, enjoyed a period called the Economic Miracle . In the 1950s, Italy became a founding country of the European Communities , a forerunner of the European Union. From the late 1960s until the early 1980s, the country experienced the Years of Lead , characterised by economic difficulties, especially after the 1973 oil crisis ; social conflicts; and terrorist massacres. The economy recovered and Italy became

1360-473: A new project which took into account issues raised by the environmental organizations. The architects lowered the pillars and created helical stairs inside each to reach the highest stands, and the appeal was rescinded. Work resumed with a little over 18 months before the World Cup. Work continued slowly over the following months, as SS Lazio and AS Roma were still playing there during the 1988–89 season . At

1496-647: A permanent seat in the League of Nations 's executive council. The socialist agitations that followed the devastation of the Great War, inspired by the Russian Revolution , led to counter-revolution and repression throughout Italy. The liberal establishment, fearing a Soviet-style revolution, started to endorse the small National Fascist Party , led by Mussolini. In October 1922, the Blackshirts of

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1632-543: A revival of Italian republicanism. Italy became a republic after the 1946 Italian institutional referendum held on 2 June, a day celebrated since as Festa della Repubblica . This was the first time women voted nationally. Victor Emmanuel III's son, Umberto II , was forced to abdicate. The Republican Constitution was approved in 1948. Under the Treaty of Paris between Italy and the Allied Powers , areas next to

1768-734: A series of wars in the peninsula. During the High Renaissance , popes such as Julius II (1503–1513) fought for control of Italy against foreign monarchs; Paul III (1534–1549) preferred to mediate between the European powers to secure peace. In the middle of such conflicts, the Medici popes Leo X (1513–1521) and Clement VII (1523–1534) faced the Protestant Reformation in Germany, England and elsewhere. In 1559, at

1904-628: A significant role in regional and global economic, military, cultural, and diplomatic affairs. Italy is a founding and leading member of the European Union, and is part of numerous international institutions, including NATO , the G7 and G20 , the Latin Union and the Union for the Mediterranean . As a cultural superpower , Italy has long been a renowned global centre of art , music , literature , cuisine , fashion , science and technology , and

2040-405: Is 29 metres (95 ft) above the ground on 12 steel pillars and four external concrete stair blocks which are also pillars; radial bearing and stabilizing cables hold an inner steel ring. The roof itself is a Teflon and fiberglass membrane which is hung from the 88 steel radial cables linking the external and internal rings. The roof, which cost approximately ₤160 billion (about €80,000,000),

2176-478: Is influenced by the seas that surround Italy on every side except the north, which constitute a reservoir of heat and humidity. Within the southern temperate zone, they determine a Mediterranean climate with local differences. Because of the length of the peninsula and the mostly mountainous hinterland, the climate is highly diverse. In most inland northern and central regions, the climate ranges from humid subtropical to humid continental and oceanic . The Po Valley

2312-599: Is mostly humid subtropical, with cool winters and hot summers. The coastal areas of Liguria , Tuscany, and most of the south generally fit the Mediterranean climate stereotype, as in the Köppen climate classification . Conditions on the coast are different from those in the interior, particularly during winter when the higher altitudes tend to be cold, wet, and often snowy. The coastal regions have mild winters, and hot and generally dry summers; lowland valleys are hot in summer. Winter temperatures vary from 0 °C (32 °F) in

2448-574: Is the owner of the stadium. In October 2006, Rome was chosen to host the 2009 Champions League final . Rome's fourth selection spurred CONI to speed up the Olimpico's planned maintenance and renovation, 16 years after the last project. Although the stadium's shape and structure were unaffected, changes were made to the Authority Room in the Monte Mario grandstand and more-comfortable seats were installed: 48 centimetres (19 in) wide in

2584-697: Is water. Including the islands, Italy has a coastline of 7,600 kilometres (4,722 miles) on the Mediterranean Sea , the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas, the Ionian Sea , and the Adriatic Sea . Its border with France runs for 488 km (303 mi); Switzerland, 740 km (460 mi); Austria, 430 km (267 mi); and Slovenia, 232 km (144 mi). The sovereign states of San Marino and Vatican City (the smallest country in

2720-670: The Oration on the Dignity of Man , considered the manifesto of the Renaissance. In the arts, the Italian Renaissance exercised a dominant influence on European art for centuries, with artists such as Leonardo da Vinci , Botticelli , Michelangelo , Raphael , Giotto , Donatello , and Titian , and architects such as Filippo Brunelleschi , Andrea Palladio , and Donato Bramante . Italian explorers and navigators from

2856-678: The Achaeans founded various cities. Greek colonisation placed the Italic peoples in contact with democratic forms of government and high artistic and cultural expressions. Ancient Rome, a settlement on the river Tiber in central Italy, founded in 753 BC, was ruled for 244 years by a monarchical system. In 509 BC, the Romans, favouring a government of the Senate and the People ( SPQR ), expelled

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2992-622: The Adriatic Sea were annexed by Yugoslavia , resulting in the Istrian-Dalmatian exodus , which involved the emigration of around 300,000 Istrian and Dalmatian Italians . Italy lost all colonial possessions, ending the Italian Empire . Fears of a Communist takeover proved crucial in 1948 , when the Christian Democrats , under Alcide De Gasperi , won a landslide victory. Consequently, in 1949 Italy became

3128-489: The Clean Hands investigation—demanded radical reform. The Christian Democrats, who had ruled for almost 50 years, underwent a crisis and disbanded, splitting into factions. The Communists reorganised as a social-democratic force. During the 1990s and 2000s, centre-right (dominated by media magnate Silvio Berlusconi ) and centre-left coalitions (led by professor Romano Prodi ) alternately governed. In 2011, amidst

3264-738: The Coppa Italia final. The Olimpico hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and track-and-field events of the 1960 Olympics, the 1974 European Athletics Championships , the 1987 World Championships in Athletics and the 1975 Universiade . In 2024, it hosted the European Athletics Championships . It has hosted the Golden Gala since 1980 and, since 2012, is the usual venue of the Italian rugby union team in

3400-831: The Crimean War . Sardinia fought the Austrian Empire in the Second Italian War of Independence of 1859, with the aid of France, resulting in liberating Lombardy . On the basis of the Plombières Agreement , the Sardinia ceded Savoy and Nice to France, an event that caused the Niçard exodus . In 1860–1861, Garibaldi led the drive for unification in Naples and Sicily. Teano was the site of

3536-660: The Crusades , providing support, transport, but mostly taking political and trading opportunities. Italy first felt the economic changes which led to the commercial revolution : Venice was able to sack Byzantine's capital and finance Marco Polo 's voyages to Asia; the first universities were formed in Italian cities, and scholars such as Aquinas obtained international fame; capitalism and banking families emerged in Florence, where Dante and Giotto were active around 1300. In

3672-851: The Empire of Japan , and strongly supported Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War . In 1939, Italy annexed Albania . Italy entered World War II on 10 June 1940. At different times, Italians advanced in British Somaliland , Egypt , the Balkans , and eastern fronts. They were, however, defeated on the Eastern Front as well as in the East African and North African campaigns, losing their territories in Africa and

3808-548: The Great Recession , Berlusconi resigned and was replaced by the technocratic cabinet of Mario Monti . In 2014, Matteo Renzi became prime minister and the government started constitutional reform. This was rejected in a 2016 referendum and Paolo Gentiloni became prime minister. During the European migrant crisis of the 2010s, Italy was the entry point and leading destination for most asylum seekers entering

3944-849: The Gregorian calendar ; the Jesuit China mission ; the French Wars of Religion ; end of the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648); and the Great Turkish War . The Italian economy declined in the 1600s and 1700s. During the war of the Spanish succession (1700–1714), Austria acquired most of the Spanish domains in Italy, namely Milan, Naples and Sardinia; the latter was given to the House of Savoy in exchange for Sicily in 1720. Later,

4080-507: The House of Savoy to establish a united kingdom encompassing the entire Italian Peninsula . By the mid-19th century, rising Italian nationalism led to revolution. Following the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the political and social Italian unification movement, or Risorgimento , emerged to unite Italy by consolidating the states and liberating them from foreign control. A radical figure was

4216-666: The Italian Peninsula , Sicily and Sardinia (the biggest islands of the Mediterranean), and many smaller islands . Some of Italy's territory extends beyond the Alpine basin, and some islands are located outside the Eurasian continental shelf. The country's area is 301,230 square kilometres (116,306 sq mi), of which 294,020 km (113,522 sq mi) is land and 7,210 km (2,784 sq mi)

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4352-750: The Italian Republic , is a country in Southern and Western Europe . It consists of a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea , with the Alps on its northern land border, as well as nearly 800 islands, notably Sicily and Sardinia . Italy shares its borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, and two enclaves: Vatican City and San Marino . It is the tenth-largest country in Europe by area, covering 301,340 km (116,350 sq mi), and third-most populous member state of

4488-698: The Italic peoples . The main historic peoples of possible non-Indo-European or pre-Indo-European heritage include the Etruscans , the Elymians and Sicani of Sicily, and the prehistoric Sardinians , who gave birth to the Nuragic civilisation . Other ancient populations include the Rhaetian people and Camunni , known for their rock drawings in Valcamonica . A natural mummy, Ötzi , dated 3400–3100 BC,

4624-461: The Kvarner Gulf , and the Dalmatian city of Zara . The subsequent Treaty of Rome (1924) led to annexation of Fiume by Italy. Italy did not receive other territories promised by the Treaty of London, so this outcome was denounced as a " mutilated victory ", by Benito Mussolini , which helped lead to the rise of Italian fascism . Historians regard "mutilated victory" as a "political myth", used by fascists to fuel Italian imperialism . Italy gained

4760-403: The Liberation of Rome in June 1944, the stadium was used by the Allies as vehicle storage and as a location for Anglo-American military competitions. After the war, the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), appointed as operator of the venue, completed construction, and it was opened on 17 May 1953 with a football game between Italy and Hungary. Since opening, the stadium has been home to

4896-408: The Middle East . In the wake of Julius Caesar 's assassination in 44 BC, Rome grew into a massive empire stretching from Britain to the borders of Persia , engulfing the whole Mediterranean basin, in which Greek, Roman, and other cultures merged into a powerful civilisation. The long reign of the first emperor, Augustus , began an age of peace and prosperity. Roman Italy remained the metropole of

5032-479: The National Republican Army . German troops, with RSI collaboration, committed massacres and deported thousands of Jews to death camps. The post-armistice period saw the emergence of the Italian Resistance , who fought a guerrilla war against the Nazi German occupiers and collaborators. This has been described as an Italian civil war due to fighting between partisans and fascist RSI forces. In April 1945, with defeat looming, Mussolini attempted to escape north, but

5168-445: The Norse ; and Amerigo Vespucci , for whom the continent of America is named. A defensive alliance known as the Italic League was formed between Venice, Naples, Florence, Milan, and the Papacy. Lorenzo the Magnificent de Medici was the Renaissance's greatest patron, his support allowed the League to abort invasion by the Turks. The alliance, however, collapsed in the 1490s; the invasion of Charles VIII of France initiated

5304-482: The Roman Empire . With the spread of Christianity, Rome became the seat of the Catholic Church and the Papacy . Between late antiquity and the Early Middle Ages , Italy experienced the arrival of Germanic tribes and the fall of the Western Roman Empire . By the 11th century, Italian city-states and maritime republics expanded, bringing renewed prosperity through commerce and laying the groundwork for modern capitalism. The Italian Renaissance flourished during

5440-402: The San Siro in Milan . AS Roma won 1–0 at the Olimpico before a crowd of 70,900, but Inter won the cup 2–1 on aggregate. Five of the German players who had won the World Cup the year before on the same pitch played in the UEFA Cup final: Andreas Brehme, Lothar Matthäus and Jürgen Klinsmann for Inter, and Thomas Berthold and Rudi Völler for AS Roma. In September 1995 the Olimpico hosted

5576-411: The Six Nations championship . After its 1990 reconstruction, the stadium has also hosted concerts. The record for highest attendance for a musical event at the stadium was set in 1998 when 90,000 spectators attended a concert of Claudio Baglioni . The 1909 plan for the city, designed by the architect and urban planner Edmondo Sanjust , had no sports venues in the northwestern sector of Rome. In 1926,

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5712-405: The Stadio Flaminio was their usual venue in Rome, Italy played at the Olimpico because the match was a fundraiser for children's aid organizations which wanted a larger stadium. South Africa won their first match after their World Cup victory 40–21, after Italy led 21–17 with 15 minutes left. Attendance was about 40,000, and ticket prices were between 5,000 and 30,000 lire (€2.5–15). Rome hosted

5848-405: The collapse of the Fascist regime on 25 July. Mussolini was deposed and arrested by order of King Victor Emmanuel III. On 8 September, Italy signed the Armistice of Cassibile , ending its war with the Allies. The Germans, with the assistance of Italian fascists, succeeded in taking control of north and central Italy. The country remained a battlefield, with the Allies moving up from the south. In

5984-412: The eponymous geographical region , is located in Southern Europe (and is also considered part of Western Europe ) between latitudes 35° and 47° N , and longitudes 6° and 19° E . To the north, from west to east, Italy borders France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia, and is roughly delimited by the Alpine watershed , enclosing the Po Valley and the Venetian Plain . It consists of the entirety of

6120-406: The fascist regime , which saw sport as an effective propaganda tool, changed the plan to include an area for a sports complex. The 85-hectare area was a swamp at the bottom of a hill called Monte Mario , on the right bank of the river Tiber , in the Della Vittoria quarter. The Foro Italico sports complex was commissioned by the Opera Nazionale Balilla (ONB), a youth organisation established by

6256-437: The political upheavals that characterised the early 19th century. The first adoption of the Italian tricolour by an Italian state, the Cispadane Republic , occurred during Napoleonic Italy , following the French Revolution, which advocated national self-determination . This event is celebrated by Tricolour Day . The birth of the Kingdom of Italy was the result of efforts of Italian nationalists and monarchists loyal to

6392-402: The 100,000). It is owned by Sport e Salute, a government agency that manages sports venues, and its operator is the Italian National Olympic Committee . The Olimpico is located in northwestern Rome in the Foro Italico sports complex. Construction began in 1928 under Enrico Del Debbio and the venue was expanded in 1937 by Luigi Moretti . World War II interrupted further expansions; after

6528-401: The 1400s and 1500s, Italy was the birthplace and heart of the Renaissance . This era marked the transition from the medieval period to the modern age and was fostered by the wealth accumulated by merchant cities and the patronage of dominant families. Italian polities were now regional states effectively ruled by princes, in control of trade and administration, and their courts became centres of

6664-414: The 15th and 16th centuries and spread to the rest of Europe. Italian explorers discovered new routes to the Far East and the New World , contributing significantly to the European Age of Discovery . After centuries of political and territorial divisions, Italy was almost entirely unified in 1861, following wars of independence and the Expedition of the Thousand , establishing the Kingdom of Italy . From

6800-500: The Adriatic or Tyrrhenian Sea. The longest is the Po , which flows from the Alps on the western border, and crosses the Padan plain to the Adriatic. The Po Valley is the largest plain, with 46,000 km (18,000 sq mi), and contains over 70% of the country's lowlands . The largest lakes are, in descending size: Garda (367.94 km or 142 sq mi), Maggiore (212.51 km or 82 sq mi), and Como (145.9 km or 56 sq mi). The climate

6936-567: The Alps form most of its northern boundary, where Italy's highest point is located on the summit of Mont Blanc ( Monte Bianco ) at 4,810 m (15,780 ft). Other well-known mountains include the Matterhorn ( Monte Cervino ) in the western Alps, and the Dolomites in the eastern Alps. Many parts of Italy are of volcanic origin . Most small islands and archipelagos in the south are volcanic islands . There are active volcanoes: Mount Etna in Sicily (the largest in Europe), Vulcano , Stromboli , and Vesuvius . Most rivers of Italy drain into

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7072-512: The Alps to 12 °C (54 °F) in Sicily; so, average summer temperatures range from 20 °C (68 °F) to over 25 °C (77 °F). Winters can vary widely with lingering cold, foggy, and snowy periods in the north, and milder, sunnier conditions in the south. Summers are hot across the country, except at high altitude, particularly in the south. Northern and central areas can experience strong thunderstorms from spring to autumn. Enrico Del Debbio Born at Carrara , he studied in

7208-403: The Balkans. Italian war crimes included extrajudicial killings and ethnic cleansing by deportation of about 25,000 people—mainly Yugoslavs—to Italian concentration camps and elsewhere. Yugoslav Partisans perpetrated their own crimes against the ethnic Italian population during and after the war, including the foibe massacres . An Allied invasion of Sicily began in July 1943, leading to

7344-449: The Church and new political dynasties. In 1453, despite activity by Pope Nicholas V to support the Byzantines, the city of Constantinople fell to the Ottomans . This led to the migration of Greek scholars and texts to Italy, fuelling the rediscovery of Greek humanism . Humanist rulers such as Federico da Montefeltro and Pope Pius II worked to establish ideal cities , founding Urbino and Pienza . Pico della Mirandola wrote

7480-430: The Commission was abolished and its assets were absorbed by the Italian government. Annibale Vitellozzi replaced Roccatelli in 1951 after the latter's death. In 1952, the stadium's reconstruction was completed, at a cost of 3,400,000,000 lire (approx 1,700,000 €). The new stadium was a 33,500 square-metre concrete structure, clad with travertine . It was composed of two parallel stands of approximately 140 metres each,

7616-401: The Decennal of the Fascist Revolution ; he was also director of the technical office of the Balilla House (the fascist youth organization). In 1923, he designed the FIAT palace in Via Calabria in Rome. In 1927, he was commissioned the new Foro Mussolini , a sport complex now known as Foro Italico (finished in 1960), including the Stadio dei Marmi (1928) and the Palazzo della Farnesina ,

7752-434: The EU. Between 2013 and 2018, it took in over 700,000 migrants, mainly from sub-Saharan Africa, which put a strain on the public purse and led to a surge in support for far-right or euro-sceptic parties. After the 2018 general election , Giuseppe Conte became prime minister of a populist coalition . With more than 155,000 victims, Italy was one of the countries with the most deaths in the COVID-19 pandemic and one of

7888-460: The European Championship was an eight-team tournament whose host country was chosen by UEFA before the qualifying round. Italy hosted the first edition of the renewed competition. The Olimpico held the opening ceremony, which featured an exhibition of calcio storico fiorentino (a medieval form of association football played in Florence ) followed by the first game between European champions Czechoslovakia and West Germany ; Germany won 1–0, with

8024-405: The European Cup (now the UEFA Champions League) final for the third time several months later, with the Italian club Juventus FC facing the Dutch side AFC Ajax . The match ended in a 1–1 draw, with goals by Fabrizio Ravanelli and Jari Litmanen , necessitating a tie-breaker from the penalty spot. Juventus won the shootout 4–2 (as Liverpool had in 1984) for their second European championship. In

8160-427: The European Union , with a population of nearly 60 million. Italy's capital and largest city is Rome ; other major urban areas include Milan , Naples , Turin , Palermo , Bologna , Florence , Genoa , and Venice . The history of Italy goes back to numerous Italic peoples , notably including the ancient Romans , who conquered the Mediterranean world during the Roman Republic and ruled it for centuries during

8296-507: The European champions. Juventus FC , runner-up in the 1972–73 European Cup , was invited to represent UEFA in the 1973 Intercontinental Cup against the Argentine CA Independiente after European champions AFC Ajax refused to participate in the tournament. Since both teams' schedules were too full for a two-leg match, the Italian football federation suggested a one-off game at the neutral Olimpico; both clubs agreed. On 28 November 1973, before 22,000 spectators, Independiente won 1–0 with

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8432-399: The Fascist government. Work commenced in 1928 under the supervision of the architect Enrico Del Debbio , and the Stadio dei Cipressi was one of the venues partially completed in time to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of fascism in Italy . The stadium was opened to the public on 22 October 1932, though without the planned capacity of 100,000. Its main terrace was located on

8568-425: The Fine Art Academy there specializing in architecture. He moved to Rome in 1914 where he won several architectural awards. He also began to teach in the Scuola Superiore di Architettura . In the 1920s, he held several positions in public institutions, such as the organization of the Quadriennale Romana . In 1931, he became artistical-technical consultant in the Palazzo delle Esposizioni for an exhibition celebrating

8704-461: The First World War in 1915 with the aim of completing national unity, so it is also considered the Fourth Italian War of Independence, from a historiographical perspective, as the conclusion of the unification of Italy . Italy, nominally allied with German and the Austro-Hungarian empires in the Triple Alliance , in 1915 joined the Allies , entering World War I with a promise of substantial territorial gains that included west Inner Carniola ,

8840-423: The Italian Front, secured dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and was instrumental in ending the war less than two weeks later. During the war, more than 650,000 Italian soldiers and as many civilians died, and the kingdom was on the brink of bankruptcy. The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1919) and Treaty of Rapallo (1920) allowed for annexation of Trentino Alto-Adige , the Julian March , Istria ,

8976-417: The Italian Youth), with the provision that after the end of World War II, the Commission's assets would be absorbed into either the Defence Office or the Education Department, depending on their purpose. However, the Commission was never abolished and it retained ownership of the Foro Italico , including the stadium. After World War II, the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) was appointed as operator of

9112-484: The Italian victory in World War I, with a gymnastics exhibition organized by the various youth Fascist associations. Since the regime intended to apply to host the 1940 Summer Olympics, starting from 1933 the Stadio dei Cipressi was extended. This was completed by architects Luigi Moretti , Angelo Frisa and Achille Pintonello , who designed a concrete structure which hosted a main football pitch and secondary pitches for basketball and weightlifting . The expanded stadium

9248-452: The National Fascist Party organised a mass demonstration and the " March on Rome " coup . King Victor Emmanuel III appointed Mussolini as prime minister, transferring power to the fascists without armed conflict. Mussolini banned political parties and curtailed personal liberties, establishing a dictatorship. These actions attracted international attention and inspired similar dictatorships in Nazi Germany and Francoist Spain . Fascism

9384-553: The Northern and Southern stands, 50 centimetres (20 in) in the Tevere grandstand and 54 centimetres (21 in) in the hospitality area of the Monte Mario grandstand). VIP areas were installed in the Monte Mario grandstand. The renovation reduced the Olimpico's capacity by about 5,000 seats. A 600-square-metre (6,500 sq ft) press room was built, and the locker-room area was doubled. Two brand new scoreboards were also installed atop of The Northern- and Southern-stand scoreboards were replaced by digital, high-definition versions;

9520-500: The Olimpico hosted six games in the group and the knockout stages. Italy won three group-stage matches, against Austria , the United States , and Czechoslovakia . The "Azzurri" then played at the Olimpico in the round of 16, defeating Uruguay 2–0 and Ireland in the quarter-final before losing to Argentina in the semi-final in Naples. In the 8 July 1990 final at the Olimpico, West Germany defeated Argentina with an Andreas Brehme penalty kick with six minutes remaining. The Olimpico

9656-470: The Olimpico was used primarily as an association-football venue. In addition to hosting the home games of SS Lazio and AS Roma, the stadium had the first (and, to date, only) play-off for the scudetto in 1963–64 ; Bologna FC and FC Inter had ended the Italian League season level on points, and a tie-breaker was needed to determine the title. Bologna won their seventh (and most recent) Scudetto , defeating Inter 2–0 with an own goal by Giacinto Facchetti and

9792-756: The Papacy, with city-states siding with the former ( Ghibellines ) or with the latter ( Guelphs ) for momentary advantage. The Germanic emperor and Roman pontiff became the universal powers of medieval Europe. However, conflict over the Investiture Controversy and between Guelphs and Ghibellines ended the imperial-feudal system in the north, where cities gained independence. In 1176, the Lombard League of city-states, defeated Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa , ensuring their independence. City-states—e.g. Milan , Florence, Venice —played

9928-574: The Roman Republic's expansion, the name was used by Greeks for the land between the strait of Messina and the line connecting the gulfs of Salerno and Taranto , corresponding to Calabria. The Greeks came to apply "Italia" to a larger region. In addition to the " Greek Italy " in the south, historians have suggested the existence of an "Etruscan Italy", which consisted of areas of central Italy. The borders of Roman Italy , Italia , are better established. Cato's Origines describes Italy as

10064-563: The Tevere Grandstand ( Italian : Tribuna Tevere ) on the eastern side and the Monte Mario Grandstand ( Italian : Tribuna Monte Mario ) on the western side. The northern and southern stands, (respectively, in Italian, Curva Nord and Curva Sud ) were shaped as two hemicycles with a radius of 95 metres. The athletics track was 507 metres long. The stadium was 319 metres long and 189 wide. The height from

10200-577: The arts and sciences. These princedoms were led by political dynasties and merchant families, such as the Medici of Florence. After the end of the Western Schism , newly elected Pope Martin V returned to the Papal States and restored Italy as the sole centre of Western Christianity. The Medici Bank was made the credit institution of the Papacy, and significant ties were established between

10336-662: The benches were moved slightly back from the pitch, and the plexiglas barriers between the stands and the pitch were partially removed. The Olimpico now had a capacity of 70,634, making it Italy's second-largest stadium (after the San Siro in Milan). Italy – in Europe  (light green & dark grey) – in the European Union  (light green)  –  [ Legend ] Italy , officially

10472-467: The calf ( Latin : vitulus ; Umbrian : vitlo ; Oscan : Víteliú ). Several ancient authors said it was named after a local ruler Italus . The ancient Greek term for Italy initially referred only to the south of the Bruttium peninsula and parts of Catanzaro and Vibo Valentia . The larger concept of Oenotria and "Italy" became synonymous, and the name applied to most of Lucania as well. Before

10608-409: The city's principal professional football clubs, S.S. Lazio and A.S. Roma . It changed its name to Olimpico in 1955, when Rome was awarded responsibility for the 1960 Summer Olympics . Before 1990, the venue was almost entirely unroofed, except for the Monte Mario Grandstand ( Italian : Tribuna Monte Mario ). In 1990, the Olimpico was rebuilt and roofed for the 1990 FIFA World Cup . The Olimpico

10744-483: The complex to establish a sports organization parallel to CONI to favour sports clubs close to Azione Cattolica , a lay Catholic association. Later in the decade, l ' Unità also accused Valente of mortgaging the complex for three billion lire (approx. 1,500,000 € or 1,600,000 $ ), to finance ENAL that Valente directed in establishing an alternative betting pool to the Totocalcio (organized by CONI). In 1976,

10880-684: The emergence of Christianity as a world religion, are among the many legacies of Roman dominance. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire , Italy fell under the Odoacer's kingdom , and was seized by the Ostrogoths . Invasions resulted in a chaotic succession of kingdoms and the supposed " Dark Ages ". The invasion of another Germanic tribe in the 6th century, the Lombards, reduced Byzantine presence and ended political unity of

11016-446: The empire, homeland of the Romans and territory of the capital. As Roman provinces were being established throughout the Mediterranean, Italy maintained a special status which made it domina provinciarum ('ruler of the provinces'), and—especially in relation to the first centuries of imperial stability — rectrix mundi ('governor of the world') and omnium terrarum parens ('parent of all lands'). The Roman Empire

11152-724: The end of the Italian wars between France and the Habsburgs, about half of Italy (the southern Kingdoms of Naples , Sicily , Sardinia , and the Duchy of Milan ) was under Spanish rule, while the other half remained independent (many states continued to be formally part of the Holy Roman Empire). The Papacy launched the Counter-Reformation , whose key events include: the Council of Trent (1545–1563); adoption of

11288-454: The end of the season, both clubs moved for a year to neighbouring Stadio Flaminio. Their final match at the old stadium was the 30th match day derby, which ended goalless before 41,633 spectators; ticket revenue was about ₤1.15 billion (about €590,000). The renovated stadium, completed in April 1990, seated 85,000 and was released to FIFA at the end of May (two weeks late and ten days before

11424-610: The entire peninsula south of the Alps. In 264 BC, Roman Italy extended from the Arno and Rubicon rivers of the centre-north to the entire south. The northern area, Cisalpine Gaul , considered geographically part of Italy, was occupied by Rome in the 220s BC, but remained politically separated. It was legally merged into the administrative unit of Italy in 42 BC. Sardinia, Corsica , Sicily, and Malta were added to Italy by Diocletian in 292 AD, which made late-ancient Italy coterminous with

11560-517: The final between Italy and France . France won 39–12 in front of an estimated crowd of 25,000. In 1955, the International Olympic Committee appointed Rome the host city of the 17th Summer Olympics , to be held in 1960. The decision made works to make the stadium compliant for the event more urgent. By this point, the name 'Dei Centomila' was being slowly replaced by 'Olimpico'. Works were relatively minimal, reflecting

11696-635: The former Austrian Littoral , and Dalmatia , as well as parts of the Ottoman Empire . The country's contribution to the Allied victory earned it a place as one of the " Big Four " powers. Reorganisation of the army and conscription led to Italian victories. In October 1918, the Italians launched a massive offensive, culminating in victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto . This marked the end of war on

11832-417: The future of Rome's stadiums sparked a mostly-political dispute. The three main proposals were the expansion of Stadio Flaminio , a new stadium in south-western Rome near EUR , or renovation of the Olimpico. The Stadio Flaminio expansion was quickly dropped due to lack of space, and a new stadium would have taken too long; architects opposed hasty construction and poor urban planning. The only feasible proposal

11968-703: The kingdom's capital was moved from Turin to Florence. In 1866, Victor Emmanuel II, allied with Prussia during the Austro-Prussian War , waged the Third Italian War of Independence , which resulted in Italy annexing Venetia . Finally, in 1870, as France abandoned Rome during the Franco-Prussian War , the Italians captured the Papal States , unification was completed, and the capital moved to Rome. Sardinia's constitution

12104-650: The late 19th to the early 20th century, Italy rapidly industrialised, mainly in the north, and acquired a colonial empire , while the south remained largely impoverished, fueling a large immigrant diaspora to the Americas. From 1915 to 1918, Italy took part in World War I with the Entente against the Central Powers . In 1922, the Italian fascist dictatorship was established. During World War II , Italy

12240-414: The latter remains amongst the longest-lasting sports records. Mid-way between the athletics events was the 1984 European Cup final , well-attended since AS Roma was one of the contestants for the title; the other was Liverpool, the winners at the same venue in 1977. The game, played on 30 May 1984 before 69,000 spectators, was the first European Cup final decided by a penalty shootout . After extra time,

12376-564: The maritime republics, eager to find an alternative route to the Indies to bypass the Ottomans, offered their services to monarchs of Atlantic countries and played a key role in ushering the Age of Discovery and colonization of the Americas. The most notable were: Christopher Columbus , who opened the Americas for conquest by Europeans; John Cabot , the first European to explore North America since

12512-406: The match was still level at 1–1 with goals by Phil Neal and Roberto Pruzzo . Liverpool won the shootout 4–2 for their fourth European Cup. One week before the final, FIFA chose Italy to host the 14th World Cup in 1990. In the bid submitted by the Italian football federation to FIFA, Rome was proposed for the tournament's final. In the five years after Italy was chosen to be the World Cup host,

12648-589: The modern Italian geographical region . The Latin Italicus was used to describe "a man of Italy" as opposed to a provincial , or one from the Roman province . The adjective italianus , from which Italian was derived, is from medieval Latin and was used alternatively with Italicus during the early modern period . After the fall of the Western Roman Empire , the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy

12784-420: The monarchy and established an oligarchic republic. The Italian Peninsula, named Italia , was consolidated into a unified entity during Roman expansion, the conquest of new territories often at the expense of the other Italic tribes , Etruscans , Celts , and Greeks . A permanent association, with most of the local tribes and cities, was formed, and Rome began the conquest of Western Europe, North Africa, and

12920-519: The most affected economically . In February 2021, after a government crisis , Conte resigned. Mario Draghi , former president of the European Central Bank , formed a national unity government supported by most main parties, pledging to implement an economic stimulus to face the crisis caused by the pandemic. In 2022, Giorgia Meloni was sworn in as Italy's first female prime minister. Italy, whose territory largely coincides with

13056-554: The new millennium, the issue of the stadium's ownership was resolved. The Olimpico had been owned since 1976 by the Ministry of Finance (later the Ministry of Economy and Finance ), which established Coni Servizi (a government agency to manage public sports venues) in 2002. Subsequently, the Ministry transferred to the newborn entity the ownership of the whole Foro Italico on 3 February 2004. Coni Servizi, renamed Sport e Salute in 2019,

13192-676: The north, the Germans set up the Italian Social Republic (RSI), a Nazi puppet state and collaborationist regime with Mussolini installed as leader after he was rescued by German paratroopers. What remained of the Italian troops was organised into the Italian Co-belligerent Army , which fought alongside the Allies, while other Italian forces, loyal to Mussolini, opted to fight alongside the Germans in

13328-502: The opening and closing ceremonies of the First Military World Games and the games' track-and-field events. It hosted the Italian rugby union team later that year for the third time (and the first since 1986), against world champions South Africa . In addition to the 1954 European Cup final, Italy played at the Olimpico in 1986, when the team drew 15–15 against England XV in front of 40,000 spectators. Although

13464-399: The patriotic journalist Giuseppe Mazzini , founder of the political movement Young Italy in the 1830s, who favoured a unitary republic and advocated a broad nationalist movement. 1847 saw the first public performance of " Il Canto degli Italiani ", which became the national anthem in 1946. The most famous member of Young Italy was the revolutionary and general Giuseppe Garibaldi who led

13600-531: The peninsula. The north formed the Lombard kingdom, central-south was also controlled by the Lombards, and other parts remained Byzantine. The Lombard kingdom was absorbed into Francia by Charlemagne in the late 8th century and became the Kingdom of Italy. The Franks helped form the Papal States . Until the 13th century, politics was dominated by relations between the Holy Roman Emperors and

13736-522: The pitch to the top of the grandstands was about 18 metres, however the top of the grandstand were only 13 metres above surface level, with the pitch about 4.5 metres below surface level. The sinking of the pitch was done to prevent the stadium from dominating the Foro Italico's skyline, and to match with other buildings. Visitors could access the stadium through ten gates, two for each hemycicle stand and three for each straight stand. The whole stadium

13872-531: The planned 40-metre (130 ft) roof pillars would cause landscape and environmental damage. In January 1988 the Court upheld the appeal and ordered the works to stop. Fearing other court appeals, CONI stopped work on the Olimpico. New legal issues slowed the work; the Southern Stand worksite was seized by the court, which suspected non-compliance with work-safety rules. The Ministry of Culture demanded

14008-523: The republican drive for unification in southern Italy. However, the Italian monarchy of the House of Savoy, in the Kingdom of Sardinia , whose government was led by Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour , also had ambitions of establishing a united Italian state. In the context of the 1848 liberal revolutions that swept Europe, an unsuccessful First Italian War of Independence was declared against Austria . In 1855, Sardinia became an ally of Britain and France in

14144-507: The semi-finals and the Olimpico hosted the title game, which saw the home team facing Yugoslavia. For the first (and only) time in the history of the tournament, a replay was necessary; on 8 June 1968 the match ended 1–1, with a goal by Dragan Džajić equalled in the final minutes by the Italian Angelo Domenghini . Italy defeated Yugoslavia 2–0 two days later, with goals by Luigi Riva and Pietro Anastasi , and became

14280-634: The site. CONI chairman Giulio Onesti announced that renewal works would finish in 1950. The renewal project was led by engineer Carlo Roccatelli and architect Cesare Valle . The stadium's governance was the subject of a fierce political battle. The Communist Party , through its newspaper, l'Unità , accused the Commission for the Italian Youth, led by Giovanni Valente – a member of the Christian Democracy party – of misuse of

14416-416: The slope of Monte Mario; because the ground was marshy from rainwater that came down the hill, the playing field was created by raising the ground by 4 meters with two million cubic meters of soil excavated for the foundations. The facility was suitable for both sporting competitions and large gatherings due to its pitch covering ~20,000 square metres. The official opening took place on the 14th anniversary of

14552-526: The source of multiple inventions and discoveries . It has the highest number of World Heritage Sites ( 60 ) and is the fifth-most visited country in the world. Hypotheses for the etymology of Italia are numerous. One theory suggests it originated from an Ancient Greek term for the land of the Italói , a tribe that resided in the region now known as Calabria . Originally thought to be named Vituli , some scholars suggest their totemic animal to be

14688-470: The south, Sicily had become an Arab Islamic emirate in the 9th century, thriving until the Italo-Normans conquered it in the late 11th century, together with most of the Lombard and Byzantine principalities of southern Italy. The region was subsequently divided between the Kingdom of Sicily and Kingdom of Naples . The Black Death of 1348 killed perhaps a third of Italy's population. During

14824-578: The stadium included the 400 metres , won with a world record by American Otis Davis , the 1500 metres , won by Australian Herb Elliott , the men's 4×100 relay, won by the Unified German Team, consisting of Bernd Cullmann , Armin Hary , Walter Mahlendorf and Martin Lauer , and the women's 800 meters, won by Soviet Lyudmila Shevtsova , equalling her previous world record. After the games,

14960-551: The stadium was never used for anything other military exhibitions and mass gatherings. In 1938, it hosted a parade to welcome German dictator Adolf Hitler during his state visit in Rome and, later, to host a gymnastics exhibition organized by the GIL. In September 1941 the stadium hosted a military celebration of the Tripartite Pact , the political and military alliance between Italy, Germany and Japan. Planned extensions of

15096-680: The stadium were interrupted by the Italian campaign in WWII and the subsequent fall of Fascism in Italy. When Allied forces entered Rome in 1944, the stadium was used by the Allied troops for vehicle storage and military sports events. With the fall of the Fascism regime in Italy , the Badoglio government abolished Fascist organizations and reassigned their assets to a new agency, called the Commissariato della Gioventù Italiana (Commission for

15232-448: The stadium's age. Reserved press seats were raised from 572 to 1,126, and four lighting towers were constructed for evening events. Two electronic scoreboards were also installed atop of the northern and southern stands, starting operation on 18 October 1959 with an association football league match between SS Lazio and AS Roma, the two tenant clubs of the venue, won 3–0 by the latter. An autonomous power plant able to produce 375,000 watts

15368-538: The start of the World Cup). Little was left of the old Olimpico except a portion of the façade of the Tevere grandstand. The northern and southern stands were rebuilt 9 metres (30 ft) closer to the short sides of the pitch and the Monte Mario grandstand was extended, replacing the press centre built for the 1987 World Championships in Athletics. The roof consists of a 13-metre-high (43 ft) outer steel ring which

15504-405: The traditional liberal and conservative establishment. In the last two decades of the 19th century, Italy developed into a colonial power by subjugating Eritrea , Somalia , Tripolitania , and Cyrenaica in Africa. In 1913, male universal suffrage was adopted. The pre- World War I period was dominated by Giovanni Giolitti , prime minister five times between 1892 and 1921. Italy entered into

15640-534: The world and headquarters of the worldwide Catholic Church under the governance of the Holy See ) are enclaves within Italy, while Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave in Switzerland. The border with San Marino is 39 km (24 mi) long, that with Vatican City, 3.2 km (2.0 mi). Over 35% of Italian territory is mountainous. The Apennine Mountains form the peninsula's backbone, and

15776-463: The world's fifth-largest industrial nation after it gained entry into the G7 in the 1970s. However, national debt skyrocketed past 100% of GDP. Between 1992 and 1993, Italy faced terror attacks perpetrated by the Sicilian Mafia as a consequence of new anti-mafia measures by the government. Voters—disenchanted with political paralysis, massive public debt and extensive corruption uncovered by

15912-422: Was among the largest in history, wielding great economical, cultural, political, and military power. At its greatest extent, it had an area of 5 million square kilometres (1.9 million square miles). The Roman legacy has deeply influenced Western civilisation shaping the modern world. The widespread use of Romance languages derived from Latin, numerical system , modern Western alphabet and calendar, and

16048-510: Was based upon Italian nationalism and imperialism, seeking to expand Italian possessions via irredentist claims based on the legacy of the Roman and Venetian empires. For this reason the fascists engaged in interventionist foreign policy . In 1935, Mussolini invaded Ethiopia and founded Italian East Africa , resulting in international isolation and leading to Italy's withdrawal from the League of Nations . Italy then allied with Nazi Germany and

16184-524: Was between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Liverpool FC , both seeking their first-ever title. Liverpool won 3–1, with one goal each by Terry McDermott , Tommy Smith and Phil Neal , and the Dane Allan Simonsen scored a temporary equaliser for the German team. At the Olimpico, Liverpool was the second English and the third British side to be crowned European champion. The 1980 edition of

16320-472: Was captured and summarily executed by partisans. Hostilities ended on 29 April 1945, when the German forces in Italy surrendered . Nearly half a million Italians died in the conflict, society was divided, and the economy all but destroyed—per capita income in 1944 was at its lowest point since 1900. The aftermath left Italy angry with the monarchy for its endorsement of the Fascist regime, contributing to

16456-724: Was conducive to academic and artistic advancement. The best-known maritime republics were Venice, Genoa , Pisa , and Amalfi . Each had dominion over overseas lands, islands, lands on the Adriatic, Aegean, and Black seas, and commercial colonies in the Near East and North Africa. Venice and Genoa were Europe's gateways to the East, and producers of fine glass, while Florence was a centre of silk, wool, banking, and jewellery. The wealth generated meant large public and private artistic projects could be commissioned. The republics participated in

16592-722: Was created. After the Lombard invasions, Italia was retained as the name for their kingdom, and its successor kingdom within the Holy Roman Empire . Lower Paleolithic artefacts, dating back 850,000 years, have been recovered from Monte Poggiolo . Excavations throughout Italy revealed a Neanderthal presence in the Middle Palaeolithic period 200,000 years ago, while modern humans appeared about 40,000 years ago at Riparo Mochi . The ancient peoples of pre-Roman Italy were Indo-European , specifically

16728-521: Was designed by the Majowecki engineering firm in Bologna . A later analysis determined that the total cost for the Olimpico renovation was about ₤450 billion (€225,000,000). According to experts appointed by judges at Rome's Court of Appeals, the figure was tainted by possible irregularities in the tender; the contract was awarded to the provider with the highest bid. During the 1990 World Cup ,

16864-681: Was discovered in the Similaun glacier in 1991. The first colonisers were the Phoenicians , who established emporiums on the coasts of Sicily and Sardinia. Some became small urban centers and developed parallel to Greek colonies . During the 8th and 7th centuries, Greek colonies were established at Pithecusae , eventually extending along the south of the Italian Peninsula and the coast of Sicily, an area later known as Magna Graecia . Ionians , Doric colonists, Syracusans , and

17000-496: Was extended to all of Italy in 1861, and provided basic freedoms for the new state; but electoral laws excluded the non-propertied classes. The new kingdom was governed by a parliamentary constitutional monarchy dominated by liberals. As northern Italy quickly industrialised, southern and northern rural areas remained underdeveloped and overpopulated, forcing millions to migrate and fuelling a large and influential diaspora . The Italian Socialist Party increased in strength, challenging

17136-550: Was first part of the Axis until its surrender to the Allied powers (1940–1943), then a co-belligerent of the Allies during the Italian resistance and the liberation of Italy (1943–1945). Following the war, the monarchy was replaced by a republic and the country enjoyed a strong recovery . A developed country , Italy has the ninth-largest nominal GDP in the world, the second-largest manufacturing industry in Europe, and plays

17272-571: Was officially opened on 17 May 1953 by the President of Italy, Luigi Einaudi . An International Cup 's football match between Italy and Hungary was held, as well as the finish line of the sixth stage (from Naples to Rome ) of the Giro d'Italia . Hungary won 3–0, with a goal by Nándor Hidegkuti , the first ever scorer in the stadium, and two goals from Ferenc Puskás . The sixth leg of the Giro d'Italia

17408-406: Was opened on 9 May 1937, the first anniversary of the Italian Empire . While the capacity of the stadium was less than 60,000, there were plans to raise it to 100,000. After the absorption of the ONB by the National Fascist Party's youth branch, the Gioventù Italiana del Littorio (GIL), the GIL became the owner of the stadium and the rest of the sports complex. Despite becoming a multisport venue,

17544-455: Was received. On 25 August 1960, the stadium hosted the opening ceremony of the 17th Summer Olympics. Three gold medals were won by American sprinter Wilma Rudolph , in the 100 metres , also a world record at the time, 200 metres , with a world record in the semi-final heat, and 4 × 100 relay , also with a world record and together with her team mates Martha Hudson , Lucinda Williams and Barbara Jones . Other events in track-and-field at

17680-455: Was scored by René Vandereycken . The 1980s were the last decade of the roofless Olimpico. It hosted the third IAAF World Cup in 1981 (an international track-and-field event with national and continental teams) and the 1987 second World Championships in Athletics , when American sprinter Carl Lewis beat his 100-metre 9.93-second world record and Stefka Kostadinova set a record in the women's high jump with 2.09 metres (6 ft 10 in);

17816-409: Was the first venue to see a player sent off during a World Cup final; red cards were issued to Argentine players Pedro Monzón and Gustavo Dezotti . At the end of its first season at the renovated Olimpico, AS Roma reached the 1990–91 UEFA Cup final (an Italian derby against Inter ). At the time, the UEFA Cup was the only European competition with a two-leg final. Inter won the first leg, 2–0, at

17952-418: Was the principal venue for the 1968 and 1980 European Championships as well as the 1990 FIFA World Cup , hosting the grand final for each competition, as well as a group stage and one of the quarter-finals of the 2020 European Championship . The venue hosted two finals of the European Cup, in 1977 and 1984 , and two UEFA Champions' League finals, in 1996 and 2009 . Since 2008, the Olimpico has hosted

18088-440: Was to renovate the Olimpico, and the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) hired architects Vitellozzi (designer of the 1953 stadium) and Clerici and engineers Teresi and Michetti. The plan, presented in early 1987, consisted of a covered stadium with a capacity of 85,825 via a 6-metre (20 ft) rise of the Tevere and Monte Mario grandstands and rebuilding the Northern and Southern stands. The light towers would be replaced by

18224-418: Was unable to host the games because of financial issues in Yugoslavia in late 1974). Since there was no time to organize a full multi-sport games, the Rome edition consisted only of track-and-field events. Pietro Mennea was again amongst the leading athletes, winning the 100 and 200 metres, and Franco Fava won the 5000- and 10,000-metre runs. In 1977, Rome hosted its first European Cup final . The match

18360-428: Was unroofed except the Monte Mario Grandstand. Atop the grandstand was an 80-meter long steel structure composed off 40 2-meter wide cubicles, for use by radio and TV commentators. There was also a press room, equipped with 54 phone booths, and teletype , wirephoto and telegraph facilities. 572 seats were reserved for the press. The Stadio dei Centomila ( Stadium of the 100,000) , named after its expected capacity,

18496-450: Was won by Giuseppe Minardi , with the crowd from the football game watching the finish line. The following Sunday, the stadium hosted its first ever club football match, a Serie A game between SS Lazio and Juventus FC , won by Juventus 1–0 with a goal from Pasquale Vivolo . The next matchday, AS Roma debuted in the stadium, with a draw 0–0 against SPAL . In 1954, Italy hosted the fifth Rugby Union European Cup . The stadium hosted

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