The inauguration of the ACF Fiorentina stadium Stadio Artemio Franchi took place on 13 September 1931, featuring a match between Fiorentina and Admira Wien which the hosts won 1-0.
Initially named Stadio Giovanni Berta after Florentine fascist Giovanni Bertathe, the stadium’s construction was officially completed in 1932, boasting a capacity of 47,282.
Designed by architect Pier Luigi Nervi, famed for the Nervi Hall in the Vatican, Stadio Artemio Franchi stands as a significant representation of 20th-century architecture in the city. The venue has played a role in sporting history, hosting matches during the 1934 World Cup and serving as a venue for football preliminaries during the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.
In a unique twist, the stadium also witnessed the American football match nicknamed the ‘Spaghetti Bowl’ between American service teams in 1945. The Fifth Army defeated the Twelfth Air Force 20-0.
Following the aftermath of World War II, the stadium underwent a name change to Stadio Comunale. However, a more significant renaming occurred in 1991, honouring the former FIGC president Artemio Franchi.
In preparation for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, the stadium underwent extensive renovations, including the removal of the running track and an expansion of seating capacity. During the World Cup, Stadio Artemio Franchi hosted three Group A matches and witnessed Argentina’s penalty shootout victory over Yugoslavia in the quarter-finals.
Throughout its history, the stadium has been a venue for the Italy national football team. The team’s inaugural match at the stadium occurred on 7 May 1933, with a 2–0 victory against Czechoslovakia. Although the national team had a sparse presence between 1982 and 2006, a friendly match against Mexico in 1993 resulted in a 2–0 win. Notably, a March 1, 2006 friendly against Germany saw Italy triumph 4–1.
Stadio Artemio Franchi continued its role as a host for international events, staging two Euro 2012 qualifying matches: a 5–0 win over the Faroe Islands and a 1–0 victory against Slovenia.
Fiorentina stadium name history
Stadio Giovanni Berta 1932-1945
Stadio Comunale 1945-1991
Stadio Artemio Franchi 1991-present
43,147 (7,036 covered).
Constructed entirely from reinforced concrete, Stadio Artemio Franchi features a striking 70-metre (230 ft) tower, named the Tower of Marathon, which hoists the stadium’s flagstaff. Spiral ramps encircle the tower’s base, providing a seamless ascent from the ground floor to the upper reaches of the grandstand.
The stadium’s architecture is notably unconventional, with space between the end stands and the pitch, creating a distinct stretched-out appearance. A top-tier of continuous seating towers above smaller, segmented stands flanking each side of the pitch.
The stadium is divided into four stands, namely the Main Stand, Maratona Stand, Fiesole Stand and Curva Fiesole.
Fiorentina’s more enthusiastic fans commonly occupy the Curva Fiesole, named for the nearby hilltop town of Fiesole, while away supporters find their place in the Curva Ferrovia, also recognised as The Railway End due to its proximity to nearby train tracks.
Fiorentina’s home ground boasts a grand entrance and assumes the form of a semi-oval bowl, featuring a covered main stand.
The purple hues, associated with Fiorentina, add an extra layer of allure to the stadium. The main stand’s seats showcase the club’s colours, while on the opposite side, purple seats spell out the club name.
Furthermore, the panoramic view from within the stadium allows spectators to see the green hills of Tuscany.
Since Rocco Commisso acquired Fiorentina in the summer of 2019, his efforts to build a new stadium for Fiorentina have encountered bureaucratic hurdles. The Stadio Artemio Franchi, is deemed a national monument despite signs of deterioration.
However, plans for the Franchi’s much-needed renovation took an unexpected turn. Florence’s mayor, Dario Nardella, secured €95 million from the EU’s post-pandemic recovery fund for Italy, aiming to utilise public funds instead of Commisso’s private investment. Despite 18 months of planning and approval, objections arose when it became evident that Italy intended to use public money for two stadium renovations, including Venice’s.
While the Italian government sought the release of €19 billion from the EU for the projects, the EU insisted that the funds wouldn’t be released unless both Florence and Venice abandoned their stadium renovation plans. The EU argued that the area around the Franchi, particularly Campo di Marte, didn’t qualify as an ‘urban degraded area,’ despite the stadium’s structural issues.
In March 2023, Florence Mayor Dario Nardella revealed to Sky Italia that the city intends to initiate the renovation of Stadio Artemio Franchi in the summer of 2024, with the anticipated completion extending into 2026.
During the stadium’s refurbishment, Fiorentina faces limited alternatives. Rivals Empoli have already rejected an offer to share the Carlo Castellani. Other Tuscan sides such as Siena, Livorno, Arezzo, and Pisa possess stadiums with capacities exceeding 10,000, meeting the capacity criteria for Serie A and European competitions. However, the regulations governing top-flight arenas—ranging from numbered seats, adequate entrances with turnstiles, toilets, and media facilities to sufficiently large dugouts, and inclusion of VAR and goal line technology—may disqualify some of them from consideration.
Fiorentina do not currently offer tours of the stadium. If you want to get a good feel for the stadium then aim to arrive early on matchdays.
Secure your tickets through various channels, including the stadium’s ticket office, phone, online platform, or any of the Fiorentina Point Stores across the city.
Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.bigliettifiorentina.com/en/
Stadio Artemio Franchi stands in the north-eastern part of Florence in the Campo di Marte neighbourhood, approximately 3 kilometres from the city centre. It is around a 45 minute walk from the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
How to get to Stadio Artemio Franchi by car
If you’re driving on the A1 Milan-Naples motorway, exit at Firenze Sud. Follow Via Marco Polo and, at junctions, follow signs for “STADIO.” The stadium is 4.6 kilometres from the motorway exit.
While free parking is available near the stadium, it is said to be a challenging experience.
How to get to the Fiorentina stadium by train
The closest train stop is Florence Campo di Marte, 400 metres from the stadium. Upon exiting the station, proceed down Largo Gennarelli until you reach the traffic lights. If you arrive at Florence Santa Maria Novella station, you’ll need a connecting service to Campo di Marte.
How to get to Stadio Artemio Franchi by bus
From the city centre (Santa Maria Novella or Piazza San Marco station), board the No.7, 17, or 20 buses bound for the stadium. Additional services are available on match days.
Away supporters find their place in the Curva Ferrovia, in a glass cage, also recognised as The Railway End due to its proximity to nearby train tracks.
At the front of the seats there is concourse area where many fans have been said to stand for the entire match.
A beloved spot for Fiorentina fans is Bar Marisa, situated directly across from the stadium’s entrance. This bar captures the essence of a quintessential Italian coffee shop. It is conveniently located next to the club’s fan store.
Other bar options near the stadium include Bar Stadio and Moonshine.
There is also a wide array of restaurants within walking distance of the stadium.
The stadium is around a 45 minute walk from the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and the historic city centre offers an even wider range of bars and restaurants to explore.
Stadio Artemio Franchi has multiple food and drink outlets offering a variety of snacks, pizzas, sandwiches, drinks, beer and wine.
Consider these accommodations near the stadium: Palazzo Lombardo Affittacamere, Canto dei Mille Affittacamere, Hostel 7 Santi, Florence Stadium B&B, and B&B Dimora Salviati.
Alternatively, explore hotels situated either between the stadium and Florence’s city centre or in the centre for a convenient stay.
Derby dell’Appennino (Fiorentina vs Bologna): Derby dell’Appennino gets its name from the Appennino Tosco-Emiliano mountains of the Apennine Mountains which geographically separate the two cities.
Derby dell’Arno (Fiorentina vs Empoli)
Derby guelfi–ghibellini (Fiorentina vs Siena)
Fiorentina also has a strong rivalry with Juventus.
The official record attendance is 58,271 on 25 November 1984, at a Serie A match between Fiorentina and Internazionale (Inter Milan).
People with disabilities can access the stadium through Gate P18 (Tribuna side) and Gate P12 (Maratona side).
There is accessible parking close to each entrance gate and accessible toilets at the stadium.
There are ramps and lifts available throughout the stadium for wheelchair users or those with mobility issues.
Assistance dogs are also welcome inside the stadium and for visually impaired fans, there are audio descriptive commentary devices available.
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