San Siro: a myth called "The Ladder of Football"

The Gift of Pirelli

The San Siro Stadium (named after a saint to whom was dedicated a church in the area) was a gift from Milan president Piero Pirelli (in office from 1909 to twenty years) to "his" Milan. The new stadium was built in just thirteen months and a half thanks to the work of 120 workers. The cost of the work was about 5 million, the equivalent of three and a half billion today. The project bears the signature of the architects Stacchini (which you must design the Central Station) and Cousins.

The inauguration

The "first" San Siro was a typical English system with four stands that can accommodate 35 000 people. It was inaugurated with a friendly derby, and could not be otherwise ended 6-3 for Inter (September 19, 1926). The first league match was played instead of October 6 (Milan-Sampierdarenese 1-2), while baptism International dates back to February 20, 1927 (Italy-Czechoslovakia 2-2). San Siro until 1945 remained the only home of AC Milan, Inter played their home games at the Arena in fact Napoleon. The "ladder" of football has suffered throughout its history, many renovations, to become the impressive monument today.

The first extension

AC Milan in 1935 he sold the plant to the City that three years later, he decided to enlarge it. The football was becoming increasingly a phenomenon of mass and San Siro had to adapt. The expansion project - designed by the architect and engineer Calzolari Rocca - exploiting the structures that supported a system of cantilevered staircases and a series of external access ramps. The capacity, originally, was 150 thousand jobs, but was reduced to less than 100 000 by a resolution of the Municipality of Milan in 1952. The inauguration of the new stadium renovated - the work was completed in '39 at a cost of 5.1 million pounds - is dated May 13, 1939, with the match Italy-England (2-2), which yielded an income of 1,200 lire. 000

The second make-up

In 1954 work began on the second extension, completed twelve months later with the inauguration of 26 October '55: the capacity was expanded to 85,000 seats. The first lighting system is dated 1957. In '67 he was instead mounted the first electronic scoreboard that signaled the score. In 1979 the lighting system was replaced by a more modern, and the second ring of the popular restored. On 3 March 1980 the plant was named, with a plaque at the main entrance, to Giuseppe Meazza, unforgettable champion Inter Milan and died a year earlier. In 1986, the first ring was completely numbered seats colored: red seats in the middle, orange on the back straight, green under the curve north of the blue under ultra Milan fans.

The third ring

On the occasion of the World Cup in 1990, the Milan City Council decides to initiate a profound renewal of the stadium "Meazza" after setting aside the idea of ​​building a new facility for reasons of costs and constraints of timing. The first thought is aimed at designing a solution futuristic and architecturally stunning: the construction of the third ring and cover all the seats. The project designed by the architect Giancarlo Boys, Henry Hoffer architect and the engineer Leo Finzi, support is employed, on which to place the new ring, arranged around the existing stadium. They are well made for the purpose, eleven cylindrical concrete towers that give access to the terraces, four of these also act as a support to the truss cover. To ensure maximum comfort to the spectators that all car seats are installed are ergonomically designed, numbered and color-divided into four sectors. The 85,700 seats that result are all covered with polycarbonate sheets that provide more comfort to the spectators. There is provided a new lighting system and a heating system of the turf to keep constantly monitored the temperature of the ground preventing the formation of ice. The June 8, 1990, the stadium hosts the opening match of the World Championships in Argentina-Cameroon. Since then, the "ladder of football" and is home to Milan has hosted every Sunday, the passions of thousands of fans. In summer 2008, following the work of redevelopment of the stadium for the adjustment of the structure to UEFA standards, the stadium capacity rose to 80,018 seats.

The numbers

Were used to build 10,000 tons of cement, 3,500 cubic meters of sand and 1,500 tons of rebar. To mark the field lines are consumed 80 kg of plaster. The size of the field are 105 meters long by 68 meters wide. The stadium perimeter beams are 204 and 296 meters long and weigh 1,100 to 2,000 tons. On the cover 256 are arranged projectors that work with halide vapor lamps of 3,500 watts. To perform the main tasks of restructuring have been specially built two 64 meter high crane. Inside them were housing a scale emergency to multiple shelves and a service elevator to reach 1,000 kg. The San Siro stadium is located near the racecourse and is about 6 km from the city center.

Not just football

The stadium in San Siro, Milan as a symbol of La Scala and the Duomo, is famous not only for football in the world, having hosted several past events in history. Like the boxing match between Duilio Loi and Carlos Ortis (1 September 1960), revenge for the world junior welterweight title. There were 53,043 spectators present for the occasion, 8 000 at ringside. That match, won by the Italian, yielded a revenue of 130 million. The stadium in Milan has also hosted several concerts. Like Bob Marley (June 27, 1980), that the stage under the curve in the one he performed his northern Italian venue. To see the Jamaican singer live audience was present in the stands by derby: 90 000 persons. Same clamor for another "champion" of rock, Bruce Springsteen (1985). The red stand has even hosted a disco. Today, under the curve south, there is a museum that traces a century of AC Milan and Inter through the memorabilia of the characters who have written the story. The stadium is visited during the football season, from about 50 000 people during the days when no matches are played. From 1 July 2000, the stadium is managed jointly by Milan and Inter.