Palazzo ex G.I.L., Rationalist palazzo in Forlì, Italy.
Palazzo ex G.I.L. is a 1930s building with three main sections: a cinema-theater, gymnasium, and former swimming pool, connected by a central tower. The structure combines functional sports facilities with cultural spaces all in one location, following rationalist design principles.
Architect Cesare Valle designed this building in 1933 as part of a nationwide program to establish youth education and sports centers across Italy. It emerged during an era when large public sports facilities were seen as modern symbols of progress.
The building served as a sports hub for generations and now houses the Bruno Grandi Gymnastics Museum, which tells the story of how this sport has evolved. The spaces continue to host cultural exhibitions and events, blending the site's athletic past with its present-day creative uses.
The building sits on Viale della Libertà and is easy to reach on foot, with modern sports facilities and an auditorium for events. The different sections are logically arranged, making it simple for visitors to move between exhibition and activity areas.
The central tower still shows visible traces of historical inscriptions that were partially removed in the 1940s. These marks remain intentionally unrestored, serving as evidence of the site's more complicated past.
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