Name: Stadio Artemio Franchi – Montepaschi Arena
Location: Viale dei Mille, Siena
Built: 1923
Capacity: 15, 373
The Montepaschi Arena was built in 1923, and is the home to Siena.
It is also named the Artemio Franchi, like Fiorentina’s stadium, after the former Italian Football President.
It take its name (Montepaschi) from the club’s main sponsor, and was given the guise in 2007.
During March of 2011, A.C. Siena announced plans to build a new stadium on the southern outskirts of the city at Isola d’Arbia. The new stadium, will have a capacity of 20,000.
The Gentleman Ultra says…
One of the most beautiful and bizarre stadiums on the Penninsula is the Montepaschi Arena. This sits in a backdrop of Tuscan hills and is surrounded by a wooded area. This quaint and small stadium has an innovative design that allows the landscape to live in harmony with the stands.
In the whole of Italy there are not many more beautiful places to watch football than here, as it incorporates good vantage points of the football with the breathtaking scenery.
The ground itself had to include ‘Montepaschi’ in its name since 2002 after Monte dei Paschi di Siena became the clubs main sponsor. The atmosphere is a little muted as there is a running track around the pitch – this would not make so much difference if the attendance was larger.
Even so this does not mean that the Ultras Robur 1904 cannot be heard especially on visits from local rivals Fiorentina and Livorno.
