The old Fiat factory in Turin, Italy, has found a new purpose as a radical retro hotel.
The factory building itself is called Lingotto, and was made most famous thanks to its rooftop racetrack and spiral driveway to the top of the building.
Unlike many historic buildings worldwide, however, the Italians managed to find a new purpose for the factory.
Now, you can stay in the factory in one of its upscale rooms, while the rooftop track has been converted into a stunning garden.
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The history of the old Fiat factory
Construction of the car factory began in 1916, but wasn’t completed until 1923.
Architect Giacomo Matte-Trucco designed the unusual building with five floors and a wild Helix ramp for access to the highest level.
Commercials for Fiat in the early age of television showcased the Helix and the rooftop track.
Footage on YouTube also shows off the wild building.
The factory remains one of the most remarkable automotive buildings ever constructed.
And not just because the Lingotto rooftop track appeared in the iconic getaway sequence of the 1969 classic heist movie The Italian Job.
Unfortunately, the factory was obsolete by the 1960s, and closed its doors for the last time in the 1980s.
The lower levels later became an auditorium, conference center, and mall. The rooftop track, meanwhile, was populated with various art installations.
The Lingotto track now has a new purpose
The garden served as an excellent starting point to revive the building and find a new lease of life for it.
The factory roof finally fully reopened in May 2022.
The garden is open to the public and used as a running track.
Not only that, but a new, revived racetrack also weaves its way through the garden, becoming a place for the likes of Fiat to test its new electric cars.
The factory building itself has found a second life as a flashy hotel, with various rooms available.
And like all good hotels, there are different levels of comfort on offer, in standard, superior, and premium categories.
Regardless of what room you’re in, the fact that you’re staying in one of the world’s most historic automotive factories is absolutely incredible.
The Italians deserve credit for retaining the building in Turin and finding another purpose for it.
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