Italy · Olympic Winter Games Turin

The Winter Games took place from 10 to 26 February 2006. Turin was the first Italian city to host the Olympic Winter Games; previously, Winter Games had already been held in Cortina d’Ampezzo in 1956. The competitions were held in Turin and several locations in the western Alps, including Sestriere, Bardonecchia, Cesana and Pragelato. While the city was primarily the venue for ice sports, the mountain locations hosted the skiing, snowboarding and bobsleigh events.

Turin was awarded the Games in 1999. The Games were accompanied by extensive construction and transport projects. Sports venues were newly built or converted, and Turin and the Alpine venues were also more closely connected by transport. The event was linked at the same time to the city’s economic transformation. For a long time, Turin was known primarily as the centre of the Italian automotive industry and as the home of Fiat. Around the turn of the millennium, the city sought to incorporate culture, tourism and international events more strongly into its public profile.

The Mole Antonelliana points to this cultural side of Turin. The building was begun in the 19th century according to plans by the architect Alessandro Antonelli. It was originally intended to serve as a synagogue for the Jewish community. Due to rising costs and the increasingly ambitious construction, the city later took over the building. It was named after Antonelli; in Italian, “Mole” denotes a building of monumental dimensions. Since 2000, it has housed the Italian National Cinema Museum.

The choice of the Olympic occasion for an Italian circulation coin was an obvious one due to the international attention attracted by the Games and Italy’s role as host. The combination of winter sports and a city landmark placed not only the competitions but also the venue at the centre. The high mintage ensured that the event became visible beyond Italy throughout the euro area in everyday payment transactions.