Author: Thomas Salvatori

Temples of The Cult: The Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino

Italian Football, Juventus, Serie A, Temples of The Cult, Torino
In our journey across the most famous Italian football stadiums, today we come back to Turin. Juventus are the most famous team in town, but Turin is also the cradle of Torino - a club with less international reputation but that truly exemplifies the passion for football in the city. Their current home is appropriately called Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.
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There are only a few grounds as emblematic as the San Siro - a stadium of two names, four Champions League finals, and thousands of Derby of Milan

Temples of The Cult: San Siro, The “Scala del Calcio” in Milan

AC Milan, Inter Milan, Italian Football, Serie A, Temples of The Cult
Our journey across the Italian stadiums wouldn’t be complete without visiting the Giuseppe Meazza in Milan or, as the other half of the city calls it, the San Siro. A synonymous for ageless football, both classic and modern. A football stage so stylish and unique that it came to be known as "La Scala del Calcio" - a reference to Milano's elegant opera house.
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Temples of The Cult: Sassuolo’s Mapei Stadium in Reggio Emilia

Italian Football, Sassuolo, Serie A, Temples of The Cult
The Mapei Stadium, also known as Città del Tricolore, is considered the first "modern" stadium in Italian football. Despite being only 25 years old, it has seen multiple teams, names, owners, a bankruptcy, and even European competition matches. Located in Reggio Emilia, it is currently owned by Sassuolo and hosts the Neroverdi's games in Serie A.
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With the intention of providing clubs with an incentive to improve their arenas, Serie A has handed out to Udinese an accolade for ‘Most Valuable Stadium.'

Temples of The Cult: The Stadio Friuli or Dacia Arena In Udine

Italian Football, Serie A, Temples of The Cult, Udinese
Our destination today is Udine, in the Northeastern Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Udine features a stadium that, despite not being too old, has undergone a massive refurbishment in recent years, which changed its appearance almost completely. The stadium has two names, an original one – Stadio Friuli – and a more recent one due to sponsorship reasons: Dacia Arena.
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Temples of The Cult: The Stadio Adriatico in Pescara

Italian Football, Pescara, Serie A, Temples of The Cult
Today we're visiting a stadium that is more associated with Serie B than with Serie A. A stadium not as old as many others we’ve explored, but still in existence for more than 50 years. So, prepare your swimsuits, because we will be going very, very close to the beach - to the city of Pescara and therefore to the Stadio Adriatico, home of Delfino Pescara 1936.
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Temples of The Cult: The Cibali or Angelo Massimino in Catania

Catania, Italian Football, Serie A, Temples of The Cult
Our journey across Italy looking for the most interesting football stadiums in the country continues. Today we’re headed south – the most south that it can be as far as calcio is concerned - to the Angelo Massimino Stadium in Catania, acknowledged by both local and visitor players as one of the loudest and most passionate venues in the Peninsula.
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Temples of The Cult: Atalanta’s Gewiss Stadium In Bergamo

Atalanta, Italian Football, Serie A, Temples of The Cult 3 comments
Today we’re going to the North of Italy, in the Region of Lombardy. Atalanta’s home turf in Bergamo is a stadium whose newest name - Gewiss Stadium - is linked to a company for sponsorship reasons. The stadium is currently undergoing an ambitious renovation plan which by 2021 will bring its standard to the level of the European ambitions of its club.
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A stadium is most often a synonym for “home advantage.” That was not the case of the late Stadio Delle Alpi in Turin, however

Temples of The Cult: The Late Stadio Delle Alpi In Turin

Italian Football, Juventus, Serie A, Temples of The Cult, Torino
A football stadium is most often a synonym for “home advantage.” That was not the case of the late Stadio Delle Alpi in Turin, however, which both Juventus and Torino reluctantly called their home for 18 years before managing to move away from it. A symbol of waste, poor organization, and underutilization common to many Italian playing grounds.
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Temples of The Cult: The Artemio Franchi Stadium In Florence

Fiorentina, Italian Football, Serie A, Temples of The Cult
The Artemio Franchi Stadium in Florence is more than a playing ground. Fiorentina's home turf is considered an architectural masterpiece of the ‘30s, a clear example of Italian Rationalism, a combination of aesthetic refinement and structural rigor. A stadium that lives up to the beauty of the city it belongs, despite not being the most suitable to watch a football game.
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The Renzo Barbera Stadium in Palermo, beter known as La Favorita (Photo: www.thesportsdb.com)

Temples of The Cult: The Renzo Barbera or La Favorita in Palermo

Italian Football, Palermo, Serie A, Temples of The Cult, World Cup 1990
Today's trip is to the marvelous city of Palermo, the capital of the island of Sicily, where we find a stadium which, depending on who you ask, can be called in one way or another. Its official name is Stadio Renzo Barbera but, by most people, it is still known as La Favorita. A stadium filled with history, which unfortunately also brings back to mind a tragic event.
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Temples of The Cult: The San Nicola Stadium in Bari

Bari, Italian Football, Serie A, Temples of The Cult, World Cup 1990
Sometimes, architectural projects defy any human logic and that is definitely the case of the gigantic San Nicola Stadium in Bari. Whatever the reason may be, one thing is for sure: The city of Bari finds itself with a fantastic stadium, an architectural masterpiece, but placed somewhere where it apparently doesn’t belong, especially when it comes to maintenance costs.
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