Nelson Mandela Forum Florence
Information
Nelson Mandela Forum, formerly Palazzetto dello sport di Firenze and Palasport, is an indoor sports arena, located in Florence, Italy inaugurated in 1985. It has a capacity of 5,253 people for seating concerts and and the maximum capacity for rock concerts with general admission tickets is 8,262 people.
It was home to Pool Firenze Basket basketball club before the club's relegation to minor leagues in 2009. The arena hosted the 1990 basketball European cup winners cup in which local Italian club Knorr Bologna won the title, in front of a crowd of 6,000 spectators. In 2010 the arena was one of the venues of the FIVB men's World Volley Championship.
The structure is the property of the city of Florence and since 2003 has been managed by the Associazione Palasport under a 12-year management agreement. The Nelson Mandela Forum has a formal agreement with the Nelson Mandela Foundation that allows the use of the name of the South African former president.
Directions
By Bus: From the Santa Maria Novella Station, the lines 10, 17, 20 lead to Stazione Piazza Adua.
From the bus station, it is a 9-minute walk to the venue. Walk south-west on Via dei Sette Santi and turn left onto Viale dei Mille. Continue onto Viale Ferruccio Valcareggi and then onto Viale Pasquale Paoli. Turn right towards the venue.
By Train: From Firenze S.M.N, take the non-stop service to Firenze Campo di Marte on the 3157 Foligno train. This service runs every 20 minutes and is a 6-minute journey.
From the station, the venue is under a 15 minute walk. Head south-east on Via Mannelli and turn right onto Viale Giuseppe Mazzini. Take the pedestrian overpass and turn right onto Viale Ferruccio Valcareggi. Continue onto Viale Pasquale Paoli and turn right towards the venue.
By Car: Exit Firenze Sud - Follow the link to the end at the traffic light. Here, bear left following the signs for Florence City Stadium. Follow Lungarno Lungarno Aldo Moro and Columbus. Turn right on Via del Campofiore. Continue past Piazza Alberti, pass over the railway bridge and continue straight (along the Via Affrico) after the second traffic light, keep left and take the second left onto Via Cialdini, leading to the main entrance of Mandela Forum (Viale Paoli).