#OnThisDay, 31st October 1926, The inauguration of the Littoriale

Exactly 90 years ago on 31st October 1926, the Littoriale sports facility was opened as a ‘monument for a new age’. Benito Mussolini entered the opening ceremony on horseback and the stadium was one of the largest and most modern in Europe for the time. The fascist federation from Palazzo Fava led by Leandro Arpinati promised that a collection would be made from local businesses who were called into making ‘spontaneous’ donations.

Arpinati was also president of the Italian Football Federation and the stadium’s design was inspired by a visit he made to the ancient Baths of Caracalla in Rome. The engineer Umberto Constanzini and architect Giulio Ulisse Arata were responsible for the project which consisted of an athletics track, tennis courts, two swimming pools and one of them was the first covered pool in Italy. The poet Giuseppe Ungaretti composed an ode for the occasion. The inauguration ceremony took place while works were still ongoing and Bologna continued to play league matches at the Stadio Badini until May. The football club then moved to the new facility on 6th June 1927.

Click here to read more about the history of the stadium