Cesare Ligini: The Overlooked Roman Architect Whose Masterpieces Were Demolished

Cesare Ligini (1913–1993) was a Roman architect whose two major works in Rome were barbarically demolished: the Velodromo Olimpico (built for the 1960 Olympics, demolished in 2008) and the Torri del Ministero delle Finanze all'EUR (partially dismantled). Despite critical acclaim—Bruno Zevi praised the velodrome as 'the most perfect and beautiful in the world'—Ligini remained largely unknown to the public. His career included winning competitions for the Velodromo (1955, with Silvano Ricci and Dagoberto Ortensi) and the Ministry of Finance (1957, with Cafiero, Marinucci, Venturi, Boccianti). Other notable projects include the unbuilt church at Gela (1965), a vertical garden for the Camera dei Deputati (1967), and a pavilion for Expo Osaka 1970 (rejected despite winning first prize). Ligini's style ranged from minimalist to surreal and baroque, influenced by Mies van der Rohe, Antoni Gaudí, and medieval architecture. He was also a painter. The article, part of the 'Architetti d’Italia' series by Luigi Prestinenza Puglisi, argues that Ligini's demolition symbolizes a broader insensitivity toward 1960s Italian architectural heritage.