The Stadio della Vittoria, or Arena, is the historic sports facility in the city of Bari, located in the Marconi district (area Fiera del Levante). Its capacity is about 40,400 seats.
Designed in 1930 and inaugurated on December 16, 1934, the stadium was built to celebrate the Italian victory of the First World War. The first match held was Bari-Comense, game played in 1934 and ended with the result 3-1 for Bari.
On 23 November 1944, the Baby Bowl was played: the first football game in the Italian territory of which we have news, won by the Technical School on Playboys for 13 to 0.
In 1972, the tower of Marathon (which once surmounted the entrance to the arena) was demolished.
Between 1996 and 1997, a restoration took place, beginning during the XIII Mediterranean Games, and involving the redefinition and plastering of the facade, an appropriate adaptation of the structures to current safety standards and restoration from damages suffered during the period of employment when about 20,000 Albanian refugees arrived in 1991 on board the ship Vlora. Besides that, the completion of the parts remained unfinished for lack of funds in the thirties and the rebuilding of the interior.
For years the Arena Victory remained the greatest football sports center of Bari, until 1990, when the construction of the Stadio San Nicola (currently the largest facility in the region) was completed.
Today, the stadium hosts the games of the local rugby team, the AS Tigers Rugby Bari, and in addition to being used as a venue for special tournaments and concerts is also used as a theater, a children's library and museum and hosts a number of activities and exhibitions. The Stadium of Victory in recent times has been the stage of concerts of famous names in Italian music scene including Vasco Rossi, Ligabue, Eros Ramazzotti, Renato Zero, Ennio Morricone, Fiorello and before that in 1987, Duran Duran, and before that in 1980 the Rockets.
Are you a local? What do you think about Arena of Victory?
Login to suggest it!