The Sferisterio of Fuorigrotta: from ancient magnificence to decay

The Sferisterio of Fuorigrotta is an enormous structure that many will surely remember with a smile. Today it is nothing more than a heap of rubbish, but it was once used for Basque pelota sporting competitions in Naples. It stands along Via Fuorigrotta, on the right-hand side, shortly before entering the Laziale tunnel.

by Alessia Giannino

The Sferisterio of Fuorigrotta is an enormous structure that many will surely remember with a smile.

Today it is nothing more than a heap of rubbish, but it was once used for Basque pelota sporting competitions in Naples. It stands along Via Fuorigrotta, on the right-hand side, shortly before entering the Laziale tunnel.

History

Construction began in the 1940s and the project was entrusted to the architect Franco Tortorelli. The works were completed after about ten years. For a long time it hosted national and international matches of pelota, table tennis and tamburello (a traditional Italian racket sport), the sports Italians were passionate about at the time.

The structure was, however, very unlucky: in 1980, due to the Irpinia earthquake, it suffered some damage, and two years later, in front of the main entrance, a bomb went off. The splendour of the Sferisterio thus gradually faded away, the victim of a cruel fate. The peak of its misfortune came in 1986 when, on New Year's Eve, an arson attack was carried out that destroyed the entire structure. Those who lived through that period say the cause was to be found in a score-settling by the local camorra clan, who had demanded a huge protection payment for the New Year's Concert. The following day, in fact, an event was due to take place featuring Riccardo Fogli and Franco Califano, both very popular at the time. This episode marked the end of the Sferisterio and of a passion that, for many, ended along with the structure itself.

In 2002 its restoration was announced, with a possible agreement with the Società Attività Concessioni Sportive. The project, sadly never realised, envisaged a three-storey renovation with a cinema, a play centre and a shopping mall. The Heritage Authority, however, did not permit the change of intended use, which differed from the purpose for which the Sferisterio had originally been conceived.

Today

Walking through Fuorigrotta, the marble high-relief carvings of the players can still be seen on the perimeter walls, while on the main façade the words JAI ALAI stand out — meaning “merry game” in the Basque language. Even today the Sferisterio remains in a state of decay and neglect.