A brief history

Do you know the story of the Phoenix, the bird that was repeatedly born of her ashes? This is more or less the description of Forum Bressanone in 2001, when the municipal authorities donated to the citizens the “former-GIL” building, restored and enlarged with new structures, on the occasion of the 1,100th jubilee of the city of Bressanone.

The story of the Forum, that stands in close proximity to the historical centre, stems back to the year 1933, when the architects Francesco Mansutti and Gino Miozzo of Padua designed it as a “Casa Balilla” (i.e. gymnasium for the Fascist youth organization “Gioventù Italiana del Littorio” (GIL)). Built in rationalist style, the GIL building was in contrast to Bressanone’s medieval town centre, and together with the buildings of the nearby Via S. Croce it formed a unique quarter of special architectural interest.

Later on, the former GIL building, being a tangible reminder of a disagreeable past, was abandoned for many years. It was rediscovered by the municipal authorities in 1933 when they were looking for a suitable area for the creation of a multi-functional cultural centre. The architectural firm “Arch” (Colombi, De Dominicis, Dalsass) integrated the pre-existing structure, declared a national monument, with glass, wood and cement in contemporary style, so as to make it compliant with all of the requirements of a modern cultural and congress centre.

The multifunctional space concept proved successful, and today, for about 300 days a year, the Forum Bressanone is the ideal location for holding events of all kinds: theatre and musical performances, concerts, balls, corporate parties and presentations, cinema festivals, seminars and training courses, congresses, conferences, symposia and workshops.

The Forum Bressanone culture and congress centre is owned by the City of Bressanone and is currently run by a company led by President Silvia Zanotto and Vice President Roberto Palumbo. An Administration and Control body supervises the company’s activities. The staff of the center’s management company also includes permanent collaborators, two coordinators, two technicians and a keeper.