Stadiums, symbols of passion and change, tell the story of cities through architecture, culture and collective identity.
The exhibition – the first major in Italy dedicated to this architectural genre – traces the history of stadiums, from the ancient stone of the Panathinaiko in Athens to contemporary masterpieces of technology and design. Secular cathedrals of our time, these monumental structures are now much more than sports arenas: they are vital centres, mirrors of cities, places of collective ritual, symbols of urban and cultural transformation, where everyday life and exceptional events come together.
A journey through the centuries across different continents, highlighting the evolution of these structures, from simple spaces for sporting competition to multifunctional venues capable of hosting concerts, religious ceremonies, mass gatherings, political events, fairs and artistic performances, to becoming a tool for city branding and a new destination for global tourism.
The exhibition also dedicates a special focus to Italian stadiums, their distribution, quality and the heated debate on the prospects for regeneration. Not only a tribute to a symbol of the collective imagination, but an opportunity to critically reflect on profound and often overlooked aspects of our cities and society.
header: wirestock / Envato Elements
Stadiums, symbols of passion and change, tell the story of cities through architecture, culture and collective identity.
The exhibition – the first major in Italy dedicated to this architectural genre – traces the history of stadiums, from the ancient stone of the Panathinaiko in Athens to contemporary masterpieces of technology and design. Secular cathedrals of our time, these monumental structures are now much more than sports arenas: they are vital centres, mirrors of cities, places of collective ritual, symbols of urban and cultural transformation, where everyday life and exceptional events come together.
A journey through the centuries across different continents, highlighting the evolution of these structures, from simple spaces for sporting competition to multifunctional venues capable of hosting concerts, religious ceremonies, mass gatherings, political events, fairs and artistic performances, to becoming a tool for city branding and a new destination for global tourism.
The exhibition also dedicates a special focus to Italian stadiums, their distribution, quality and the heated debate on the prospects for regeneration. Not only a tribute to a symbol of the collective imagination, but an opportunity to critically reflect on profound and often overlooked aspects of our cities and society.
header: wirestock / Envato Elements
Cataloghi della mostra
exhibition’s catalogue 2025
Stadi. Architecture of a Myth