CULTURE
Legnano tells the story of Alfa Romeo
24 September 2018
"Legnano racconta l'Alfa Romeo" (Legnano tells Alfa Romeo's story) is the title of the new exhibition, organised by the Legnano City Council Department for Culture, in collaboration with FCA Heritage - Alfa Romeo Classiche, the Fratelli Cozzi Museum and Alfa Blue Team, curated by brothers Massimo and Giuseppe Colombo, which tells the story of the close relationship between the City of the Carroccio and the Milanese car manufacturer.
The inauguration of the exhibition 'Legnano racconta l'Alfa Romeo' was an unexpected but surprising success. "Legnano racconta l'Alfa Romeo" exhibition. Between the inauguration on Saturday 22 and the first full day of opening on Sunday 23 September, more than 900 visitors passed through the spaces of Palazzo Leone da Perego.We knew", says the Culture Councillor, Franco Colombo, "that this initiative would arouse interest. We knew," says Franco Colombo, culture councillor, "that this initiative would arouse interest, also because the exhibition is designed to attract and arouse the curiosity of a diversified public, made up not only of Alfisti and motor enthusiasts. Now there is confirmation, and obviously the public's appreciation is cause for satisfaction. Two hundred visitors on Saturday, 730 on Sunday: these are important numbers".
In the photograph, from left: Stefano Mortarino - Culture Service and Public and Institutional Events Service, Fabio Fazio Historical Service Manager FCA, Franco Colombo town councillor for culture in Legnano, Andrea Vecchi - president of Alfa Club Milano, Giuseppe and Massimo Colombo - curators of the exhibition "Legnano Racconta l'Alfa Romeo", Pietro Cozzi - founder of the Fratelli Cozzi Museum, Marco Patano - 21 ADV grafiche, Giorgio Alisi - painter.
The exhibition will be held at Palazzo Leone da Perego until 28 October and can be visited at weekends from 10 am to 12.30 pm and from 3 pm to 6.30 pm. 12.30 and from 15.00 to 18.30. The programme is renewed every week with side events that make the visiting experience always new.
On Sunday 23rd, the rally organised by Alfa Club Milano coloured the city streets with 28 historic vehicles. Departure from the Fratelli Cozzi Museum and guided tour, procession through the heart of the city to Piazza Don Sturzo and then a visit to the exhibition Legnano Racconta l'Alfa Romeo, where Massimo and Giuseppe Colombo illustrated the works on display and the concept of the project.
On Wednesday 26th, a cinema appointment in the adjacent Sala Ratti for the screening of a cult film: "Quando corre Nuvolari" 2018, directed by Tonino Zangardi, with Brutius Selby, Linda Messerklinger, Alessandro Haber.
LEGNANO TALKS ABOUT ALFA ROMEO The link between the City of the Carroccio and the Milanese car manufacturer
But what is the real link between Alfa Romeo and Legnano? Let's read the Colombo brothers' in-depth study together: "Legnano is a land of motors par excellence. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the city could already count on three car manufacturers (Wolsit, FIAL, SAM). The liaison between top-level motor racing and Legnano was only delayed a few years, linked to the name of a true Legnano man, Gioachino Colombo, designer of the 158 single-seater: the legendary "Alfetta", which celebrates its 80th anniversary this year and won the first modern Formula 1 World Championship in 1950 with Nino Farina at the wheel. Not only that. The name of Gioachino Colombo is also closely connected with Ferrari and Maserati: the great engineer from Legnano designed the first Ferrari that could officially bear the name of the manufacturer - the 125 model - and the first 12-cylinder engine in the sign of the "prancing horse", while for the House of the Trident Colombo designed the 250 F model, with which Fangio won his fifth and last Formula 1 world title in 1957. Colombo also worked on the development of the 1900 project: the model that, at the beginning of the 1950s, marked Alfa Romeo's transition from "handcrafted packaging" to mass industrial production. And it was precisely at the beginning of the 1950s, at the dawn of the economic boom, that one of the first dealerships of the Milanese company in the post-war period was established in the city: Fratelli Cozzi, which is still active today and can boast an exclusive museum dedicated to the Alfa Romeo brand and a section of its current activity dedicated to the enhancement of its heritage".
On Sunday, artist Francesco Scapolatempore, aka SirSkape, performed a live painting show drawing a canvas dedicated to Alfa Romeo.
Next appointment Thursday 4 October 2018 at 21.00 at the Cinema Ratti screening with introduction by the curators of the film "Le 24 Ore di Le Mans" 1971, directed by Lee H. Katzin with Steve McQueen, Siegfried Rauch, Elga Andersen.
We would like to thank the Municipality of Legnano, Giuseppe Colombo and Massimo Colombo, curators Claudio Argentiero AFI consulting and photographic technical assistance Giorgio Alisi, Antonio Molino artists illustrators Photographs Centro Documentazione Alfa Romeo - Arese Logo of the exhibition Stefano "Stizzo", Andrea Vecchi Alfa Club Milano .
LEGNANO RACCONTA L'ALFA ROMEO Palazzo Leone da Perego, Legnano (MI), via Gilardelli 10 23 September - 28 October 2018
Opening hours Saturday and Sunday 10.00 - 12.30 | 15.00 - 19.00 Free admission
Guided tours with the curators from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. by appointment on Sunday 30 September, 14 and 28 October 2018.
Guided tours for groups and schools by appointment.
