PalaTiziano | |
 | |
 Interactive map of Palazzetto dello Sport | |
| Location | Piazza Apollodoro I-00199Rome |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°55′47″N12°28′15″E / 41.929617°N 12.470732°E /41.929617; 12.470732 |
| Owner | Municipality of Rome |
| Capacity | Basketball: 3,500[1] |
| Surface | Parquet |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1956 |
| Built | 1957 |
| Opened | October 1, 1957 |
| Renovated | 2021–2024[1] |
| Architect | Annibale Vitellozzi |
| Structural engineer | Pier Luigi Nervi |
| Services engineer | Ingg. Nervi & Bartoli |
| Tenants | |
| M. Roma Volley (2006–present) Virtus Roma (1960–1983, 2000–2003, 2011–2018) LUISS Roma (2023–present) | |
ThePalazzetto dello Sport (literally "Small Sport Palace"), also less commonly known as thePalaTiziano[2] orPalaFlaminio,[2] is anindoor arena that is located in Piazza Apollodoro, inRome,Italy. It has a 3,500seating capacity forbasketball games.[2]
The venue was constructed along with the 11,500-seatPalazzo dello Sport, for the1960 Summer Olympics, and it was inaugurated on October 1, 1957.[3] Placed between the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone and the Maxxi - Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI secolo, the PalaTiziano is relatively close to the Olympic Stadium.[4] It was designed by architect Annibale Vitellozzi.[3] Vitellozzi came up with the design in the year prior.[5] Its reinforced thin-shell concrete dome was engineered byPier Luigi Nervi under the direction of Engineer Giacomo Maccagno.[3] During the Olympics, the arena hosted thebasketball events, among other sports.[6] Since then it has also been used forvolleyball matches and other events such as concerts and shows.[4]
Construction began in July 1956 and was completed on September 15, 1957.[4]
Following a long era of disuse the dome was meticulously restored and reopened in October of 2023.[4]
At various times over the years, the arena has been home to the Italian professional basketball team,Virtus Roma. The team played there from its foundation, until the early 1980s, and also for a period of several years at the start of the current millennium, when its regular home venue at the Palazzo dello Sport was being renovated. The team moved back to the arena in 2011, as the Palazzo dello Sport (since renamedPalaLottomatica), had high management costs and Virtus Roma was out ofEuroLeague competition at the time.[7] The club moved back to the PalaLottomatica in 2018 as the renovation of PalaTiziano was approaching.
The facility incorporates a first-aid center, four groups of dressing rooms, along with an officials dressing room, a medical sports centre, a management office, a press room with 12 telephone booths, two store rooms, and basement-located heating and air-conditioning equipment.[3] Seating could be configured for 3,500 basketball spectators and up to 5,600 for boxing or wrestling spectators.[3]
The arena is constructed with a ribbedconcrete shell dome, that is 61 meters in diameter, having a total area of about 4,800 square meters,[4] and is constructed of 1,620 prefabricated concrete pieces,[3]which are braced by concreteflying buttresses. Much of the structure was prefabricated, so that the dome was erected in 40 days.[8]
Architect Bruno Zevi remarked that it resembles thePantheon in some aspects, having many similar features, specifically the spherical shape.[5]
After being closed for 5 years, the Palazzetto Dello Sport underwent a renovation in 2018, during the administration of Mayor Virginia Raggi and was finished under incumbent Robert Gualtieri.[9] Initially the city was given a €3 million renovation contract and until March 2022 to complete renovations, but they soon realized it would not be enough. An additional €2 million was raised to finish the project. It was completed in December of 2023.[9]
Renovations included adding 2,500 seats which brought the total seating up to 3,500.[9]
Media related toPalazzetto dello Sport (Rome) at Wikimedia Commons
| Preceded by | FIBA Intercontinental Cup Final Venue 1967 | Succeeded by |
