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Foro Italico is a sports complex in Rome, Italy, on the slopes of Monte Mario. It was built between 1928 and 1938 as the Foro Mussolini (literally Benito Mussolini's Forum) under the design of Enrico Del Debbio and, later, Luigi Moretti. Inspired by the Roman forums of the imperial age, its design is lauded as a preeminent example of Italian fascist architecture instituted by Mussolini. The purpose of the prestigious project was to get the Olympic Games of 1940 to be organised by fascist Italy and held in Rome.
In 1936 and, subsequently, until 1941, Luigi Moretti - former author of the Accademia di scherma al Foro Italico in the Foro Mussolini - worked out designs that, while incorporating Del Debbio's urban plan, involved an expansion of the Foro towards Tor di Quinto; these designs were never put into practice.
The facility is decorated with statues, donated by the different Italian Provinces and therefore of different authors, which represent various sport activities: for example, the statue dedicated to javelin throw was donated by the Province of Perugia, while the one representing the so-called "ball with the bracelet" (an ancient Renaissance game) is due to the Province of Forlì-Cesena.
Near the Stadio Olimpico rises the Palazzo della Farnesina, the seat of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1959, designed by the architects who won the architectural design competition: Enrico Del Debbio, Arnaldo Foschini, Vittorio Ballio Morpurgo.
The Foro is home to numerous sports venues, such as the largest sports facility in Rome, the Stadio Olimpico, the ornate Stadio dei Marmi and the adjoining building which is the seat of the Italian National Olympic Committee (originally built for the purposes of the Fascist Male Academy of Physical Education). Foro Italico also comprises an aquatics center built for the 1960 summer Olympics, the Stadio del Nuoto ("Swimming Stadium") and a tennis center.
The tennis center, which annually hosts the Italian Open, an ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 event, is an extensive area with a total of 18 clay surface tennis courts, nine of which are used for the Italian Open tournament and the rest for training purposes. There are currently three stadium courts: the main one, Stadio Centrale, was rebuilt for the 2010 tournament and has a capacity of 10,400 spectators; the other grounds are the Stadio Nicola Pietrangeli (formerly Stadio Pallacorda), 3,500 seats, "Prevendita". Internazionalibnlditalia.com. Retrieved 2012-06-02. and the Grand Stand Arena.
Foro Italico has hosted important events, most notably the 1960 Summer Olympics. Since 2012, the Stadio Olimpico hosts the home games of the Italy national rugby union team at the Guinness Six Nations. Other live events like music concerts are also held at the various venues in the complex.
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