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All Italy Turin Fiat Lingotto Factory

Fiat Lingotto Factory

Now an entertainment complex, the Lingotto building was once an avant-garde auto factory with a test track on the roof.

Turin, Italy

Added By
Robert Godwin
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Recreating the famous scene!   robertgodwin / Atlas Obscura User
Recreating the famous scene!   robertgodwin / Atlas Obscura User
From the peak of the test track - The Lingotto Building in 2012   robertgodwin / Atlas Obscura User
The spiral ramp that took shiny new Fiats from the roof   robertgodwin / Atlas Obscura User
La pista 100  
Rooftop  
Corner of the race track   Vrielinkie / Atlas Obscura User
View of the city   Vrielinkie / Atlas Obscura User
Panorama view   Vrielinkie / Atlas Obscura User
View of the corner of the track   Vrielinkie / Atlas Obscura User
View from the race track on the roof   Vrielinkie / Atlas Obscura User
From the top of the corner   Vrielinkie / Atlas Obscura User
View of the congress hall on top of the hotel   Vrielinkie / Atlas Obscura User
View from the roof of the hotel garden   Vrielinkie / Atlas Obscura User
View of Fiat Lingotto Factory in 1928.   Wiki User: Dgtmedia - Simone
Fiat Lingotto Factory, Turin, Italy   Drexl / Atlas Obscura User
Lingoto building  
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About

From street level, this huge arcade of shops, concert halls and entertainment outlets appears to have been built primarily to amuse the local community. In fact, the building was originally designed and built for the car manufacturer Fiat, as a factory that would employ thousands of workers from the city of Turin.  

The factory's proximity to the railway was key—raw materials would arrive by rail to the lowest floors of the building to become the basis of the construction of automobiles. These raw materials would be fashioned into car components, which would then be transported to the second floor, where construction could begin.  Cars would slowly begin to take shape as they were elevated up to the higher levels of the building until they reached the very top, where a complete car would emerge onto the roof, the most iconic feature of the building. 

This beautifully linear process of car manufacturing ended with every vehicle being test driven around the track that was implemented into the top of the structure. Cars could literally be driven straight out of the factory and into Fiat showrooms. 

Unknown to the patrons of the building and residents of Turin, the rooftop test track was featured in a British film, The Italian Job (1969) as part of the police chase at the end. The storyline of the film revolves around Charlie Croker (Michael Caine) assembling a team to rob $4 million of Chinese gold that has been sent to Italy as a deposit for a new car factory. 

The roof and long spiral ramp that was used to bring cars down from the top of the building are completely open to the public. Of little interest to the local citizens, they make for very atmospheric photos for those looking for artistic inspiration. A wonder hidden in plain sight, you can even take a lift to the rooftop from the lifts in the center of the vast building without raising any eyebrows. 

Related Tags

Automotive History Architectural Oddities Architecture

Know Before You Go

Right next to Lingotto Metro station - it's enormous! Can't miss it! To get to the roof, follow the signs to Pinacoteca Agnelli. You will have to pay 8 EUR admission for the museum - which is required to visit the test track.

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Community Contributors

Added By

robertgodwin

Edited By

Rachel, Gradius, Vrielinkie, Drexl...

  • Rachel
  • Gradius
  • Vrielinkie
  • Drexl
  • guilhermepoleto

Published

December 27, 2013

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Fiat Lingotto Factory
258-262 Via Nizza
Turin, 10126
Italy
45.032061, 7.665414
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