It holds 14,650 people, which makes it the third-largest stadium by capacity in Calabria. It is currently the home of US Catanzaro 1929.[2]
In 1989 the stadium was renamed in honour of Nicola Ceravolo[it], who had died the previous year and was an influential former president of US Catanzaro for twenty years.[3]
History
Early years (1919–1970)
The stadium Nicola Ceravolo is set on a plot of land in the locality of Corallo, near the slopes of the mountain Spezzano. Its use dates back to the early decades of the twentieth century, when, coinciding with the beginning of the first world war, it was used as a concentration camp for prisoners of war. At the end of the war the plant, which was known as "Piazza d'Armi", began to be used for training troops stationed in Catanzaro, then the headquarters of the Division Command and the 19th Infantry Regiment.
In the 1920s, the ever-growing interest for sports, particularly for football, determined the adaptation of the structure to the new needs of the citizens. In October 1924, after about seven months of work, the new sports field, named the "Divisional Stadium", was presented with a successful inauguration. Owned by the 21st Division of the Military Division.[citation needed]
Soon after III Congresso Sportivo Calabrese happened here, which ended with the representation of hundreds of athletes divided into various sports disciplines.
A special football tournament was held, called Cup city of Catanzaro and Cosenza, in which three groups took part: Fortitudo Cosenza, the Audace of Catanzaro and the Nuovo Reggio Football Club. It was the Reggina team that won the trophy by beating the Audace in the final by 3–0.[citation needed]
The new "Divisional Stadium", later known as the "Military Stadium", was equipped with a leveled playing field, flanked by a "war path", an elevated runway and graceful wooden benches, well furnished inside. During the twenties, the plant will be used mainly by the military for their operational purposes, but also by sports companies with appropriate authorization.[citation needed]
In 1927, the Fascist Catanzaro Sports Union (a partnership born of the merger between Scalfaro and Braccini), chaired by Enrico Talamo, was included in the regional Third Division championship (comparable to the current Serie D), thus marking the entrance of the Catanzaro football in the national sports area.
This event suggested the military and civil authorities of the time, to regulate the use of the structure through a concession to the Municipality of Catanzaro.[citation needed]
In the following years, the plant was renamed "Stadio Comunale" and under the presidency of Aldo Ferrara (1950–1958), it was equipped with a functional and comfortable staircase (the Distinti), built on the old "lawn", with underlying showers, press room and warehouse.
Renovation and proposal for a new stadium (1971–2006)
The first major and radical restructuring took place in the summer of 1971. The US Catanzaro had just won its first historical promotion in Serie A and the municipality built a covered grandstand, to extend the curves and to add a press room to the summit of the distinguished sector, which would make the complex suitable for the contest of the prestigious tournament. The works were completed on 16 October 1971 and at the end of the renovation, the stadium had a capacity, though never officially determined, of around 20,000 seats.[citation needed] Further changes are made under the "Di Marzio" era. The Neapolitan coach convinces the Municipality to build further steps on existing ones, thus managing to bring the total capacity to 30,000 seats. These changes make the "Military" one of the largest stadiums in Southern Italy, despite the fact that the plant is not in compliance with the regulations of the time.[citation needed]
In 1989 the stadium was dedicated to Nicola Ceravolo, in recognition of fifty years of fervent and passionate activity for sport and for Catanzaro.
A monument will be dedicated to the Giallorossi president at the entrance to the "West Bend" sector, next to a sea pine that dominates the curve.[citation needed]
In 1996 the "West Bend", a sector populated by the hottest fringe of Catanzaro fans, was named after Massimo Capraro, a young ultra who died prematurely in a tragic car accident.[citation needed]
In 1998 the Municipality of Catanzaro was forced to perform various jobs to adapt the sports facility to the new regulations; among the innovations are replaced the old iron nets of Tribuna and Distinti with modern shatterproof glass.
The substitution of the nets will make the sectors of Tribuna and Distinti much closer to the playing field, making the athletic track disappear and, with it, the multi-functionality of the entire sports facility. These adjustments will lead to the capacity, officially determined by the provincial supervisory commission, of 11 033 seats.[citation needed]
With the return of the Catanzaro in Serie B, in the 2004–2005 season, some marginal jobs were carried out on the pitch and the video surveillance system.[citation needed]
Furthermore, the East bend for visiting fans was named after the historic footballer Angelo Mammì, who under that sector, on 30 January 1972, scored the decisive goal at the end of the second half which allowed Catanzaro to beat Juventus in the match valid for first day of return of the Serie A championship 1971–1972.[4]
Between 2003 and 2004, the then administrators of the U.S. Catanzaro Massimo Poggi and Claudio Parente put forward the concrete proposal for the construction of a new stadium in a different urban area, presumably in the Germaneto quarter.
This would have ensured optimal connections to the new plant, as the area is easily accessible. The new stadium – based on the English model – approved to host UEFA international events, should have had a capacity of at least 28,000 seats and host various businesses, sports facilities, offices, restaurants, and a hotel.[5]
The proposal to relocate the new stadium was received among the criticisms of the majority of fans, justified by the historical and symbolic value of the "old" Ceravolo stadium.[6]
In 2004, the model of the renewed Ceravolo was presented at a press conference, which included the demolition of curves and distinct to reconstruct everything on the model of the Marassi Stadium in Genoa.
The projects were set aside following the failure of the Catanzaro Sports Union in the summer of 2006[6]
From the Pisanu decree to the present day (2006–)
In the 2007–2008 season, following the approval of the Pisanu decree, the approved capacity of the Ceravolo stadium was reduced to 7499 places with the total closure of the separate sector and the East stand area.
In 2008 the ownership of the plant passed from the State Property to the Municipality of Catanzaro and on 18 September the works for the adaptation of the plant to the new regulations began, for an amount of approximately 2 million euros, giving way to the most important and massive structural intervention since the first promotion in Serie A (1971).
The most significant interventions concern the arrangement of seats and the numbering of seats, the division of sectors and the identification of escape routes, the installation of 15 turnstiles (750 people per hour), adequate toilets for spectators , lighting system, first aid stations, parking area with 200 seats for the "guest" sector, alarm systems, modernization of the press box and construction of an "interview room" close to the locker rooms.[citation needed]
During the works, in the summer of 2008, the historic marine pine that rose from the terraces of the Massimo Capraro curve was demolished, a unique detail among the stadiums throughout Italy.[citation needed]
The renovated Nicola Ceravolo stadium is a fully compliant facility, with an officially determined capacity of 14 650 seats, all numbered, and a remarkable glance determined by the laying of Giallorossi seats.
Related Research Articles
Unione Sportiva Catanzaro 1929, or simply Catanzaro, is a professional football club based in Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy, that competes in Serie B, the second tier of the Italian football championship, following a 17-year absence from it.
Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, known for sponsorship reasons as the Gewiss Stadium since July 2019 and as Stadio di Bergamo in UEFA competitions, is a stadium in Bergamo, Italy. It is the home of Serie A club Atalanta and has a capacity of 24,950 seats. The field is 120 m (130 yd) long and 70 m (77 yd) wide. Atalanta has owned the stadium since 2017, having purchased it from the comune.
Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, formerly known as Stadio San Paolo, is a stadium in the western Fuorigrotta suburb of Naples, Italy. It is the fourth largest football stadium in Italy, after Milan's San Siro, Rome's Stadio Olimpico and Bari's San Nicola. For the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, the stadium hosted the football preliminaries. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of SSC Napoli. Constructed in 1959, the stadium was extensively renovated in 1989 for the 1990 World Cup and again in 2018. The stadium currently accommodates 60,240 spectators, but in the past with terraced sections, the stadium took close to 90,000.
Frosinone Calcio is a professional football club based in Frosinone, Lazio, Italy. The club was founded on 5 March 1906 under the name Unione Sportiva Frusinate, but conventionally the year 1928 is indicated as the beginning of competitive activities of significant importance. Following cancellation by the Italian Football Federation, it was refounded in 1959 and in 1990. In the 2014–15 season the club played in Serie B for the sixth time in its history. The club earned its first promotion to the top flight Serie A in the 2015–16 season, but were relegated back down to Serie B after just one season. In the 2018–19 season it was promoted to Serie A for a second time.
Stadio San Nicola is a multi-use all-seater stadium designed by Renzo Piano in Bari, Italy. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of S.S.C. Bari. It replaced their previous home, Stadio della Vittoria, in 1990. The stadium's design resembles a flower. To create this particular design, the stadium consists of 26 'petals' and upper tiers of the higher ring separated by 8-metre empty spaces, sufficient to guarantee satisfactory security conditions.
Associazione Calcio Reggiana, commonly referred to as Reggiana, is a professional football club based in Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The club was formed in 1919, reformed in 2005 and 2018 after going bankrupt twice, and currently plays in the Serie B, the second tier of Italian football. Reggiana is known as i Granata in reference to the club's main colour: maroon.
Stadio Comunale Sant'Elia was a football stadium in Cagliari, Italy. It is best known for having been the home of Cagliari Calcio. It hosted three matches during the 1990 FIFA World Cup. The stadium had an initial capacity of 60,000 spectators, reduced to 40,919 in 1990, and then 23,834 and finally 16,000 spectators with a provisional stand. It was closed in 2017 and the new Unipol Domus was built as a replacement.
The Stadio Ettore Giardiniero - Via del Mare, known as Stadio Via del mare, is a multi-purpose stadium in Lecce, Italy. It is mostly used for football matches and is the home of U.S. Lecce. The stadium was built in 1966 and holds 40,670 seats. It takes its name from the street leading to the sea, and from the Lecce Mayor at the time of the first renovation of the stadium in 1985.
Stadio Ennio Tardini, commonly referred to as just Il Tardini, is a football stadium in Parma, Italy, located near the centre of Parma, between the town centre and the city walls. It is the home of Parma Calcio 1913. The stadium was built in 1923 and was named after one of Parma's former presidents, Ennio Tardini. The stadium is the nineteenth largest football stadium in Italy and the second largest in Emilia–Romagna with a capacity of 22,352 spectators. The stadium is the sixth oldest Italian football ground still in use.
The Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, also known as the Marassi from the name of the neighbourhood where it is located, is a multi-use stadium in Genoa, Italy. The home of Genoa C.F.C. and U.C. Sampdoria football clubs, it opened in 1911 and is the oldest stadium still in use for football and other sports in Italy. Aside from football, the stadium has hosted meetings of rugby in the Italian national rugby team and, more rarely, some concerts.
Stadio Angelo Massimino is a multi-use stadium in Catania, Italy. It is used mostly for football matches and the home of Calcio Catania. The stadium was built in 1935 by architect Raffaele Leone on behalf of the company owned by Antonio Ferro and holds 23,266 people. It was renamed in 2002 after former Catania chairman Angelo Massimino (1927–1996).
Stadio Giovanni Zini is a football stadium in Cremona, Italy. It is currently the home of U.S. Cremonese. The stadium was built in 1919 and has capacity for 14,834 people.
The Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, named after the Grande Torino team, is a multi-purpose stadium located in Turin, Italy. It is the home ground of Serie A club Torino Football Club. The stadium is located in Piazzale Grande Torino, in the district of Santa Rita, in the south-central area of the city. The stadium is currently rated by UEFA as a Category 4 stadium, the highest ranking possible.
Stadio Guido Angelini is a multi-use stadium in Chieti, Abruzzo, Italy. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of S.S. Chieti Calcio.
The Stadio Centro d'Italia – Manlio Scopigno is a football stadium in Rieti, Italy. It is the home stadium of F.C. Rieti and has a seating capacity of 10,163.
Stadio Giovanni Mari is a multi-use stadium in Legnano, Italy. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of A.C. Legnano. The stadium holds 5,000 people. It is also used for the horse race of Palio di Legnano.
Nicola Walter Chiarella is an Italian former footballer who played as a right winger.
Stadio Nicola de Simone is a football stadium in Syracuse, Sicily. It is the home of Siracusa football team and has a capacity of 5,946 spectators.
The Stadio Alberto Pinto is a municipal stadium in Caserta, Italy, located in the eastern part of the city and home ground of football team Casertana.
The 2019–20 Coppa Italia Serie C was the 48th edition of the Coppa Italia Serie C, the cup competition for Serie C clubs.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
