The “Riviera delle Palme” Stadium is the main sports facility of San Benedetto del Tronto and hosts the home games of the Sambenedettese Football, where the club's headquarters are located. The facility has always hosted home matches for the city's football team, which once played in Serie B and Lega Pro, and now plays in Serie D. It has also hosted major events in the past, including non-football ones, such as a performance by the showman Fiorello and the Tiziano Ferro concert. Both in July 2007. And in 2013 the site Calcioweb he inserted it in the list of the most beautiful stadiums in Italy.
The history of the Riviera delle Palme Stadium
Built around the mid 80's with highly innovative techniques, its inauguration dates back to August 10, 1985 with a friendly match between Sambenedettese and Lazio. Although many consider the unofficial inauguration a few days later during a friendly match between Milan and Sambenedettese. Built during the golden age of the rossoblu team, in the Viale dello Sport facility next to the “Bernardo Speca” sports hall, the stadium won European recognition as best sports work in steel and prefabricated reinforced concrete.
Structure
The stadium, with a steel-framed structure, initially had a capacity of approximately 22.000 spectators. However, it was designed with the possibility of future expansion in mind. Subsequently, to comply with stadium safety regulations, the authorized capacity was reduced to 7.494 seats. Since 2010, following modernization works, the overall capacity has been increased to approximately 13.786 numbered seats, all seated, arranged on two rings with a full roof. In the summer of 2016, with the return of Sambenedettese to Lega Pro, the stadium underwent a series of restyling interventions to make the facility usable again. The "Sambadrome" or "Temple of cheering“, as defined by the fans, has a natural grass pitch. And it has a large outdoor parking lot. Furthermore, the structure is completed by four corner towers (as in "San Siro") made of prestressed reinforced concrete. They facilitate the influx and outflow of spectators, and are overlooked by floodlights that illuminate the pitch. There is also a small bar and restrooms.
A “green” stadium
Above the roof of the sports field there is an impressive photovoltaic system with 4.546 photovoltaic panels 220 Wp polycrystalline silicon, located along the curves and stands. This makes the structure completely energy independent. In fact, it is the second largest Italian stadium, after the Bentegodi of Verona, to use this alternative energy solution. Finally, among the curiosities that are linked to this stadium is the memory of the arena as location of the film Half right half left – 2 players without the ball of 1985 of Serge Martino, with Andrea Roncato, Gigi Sammarchi, Leo Gullotta and Pino Insegno.
Thanks for the cover image: Simone Felicetti
