For many of us, the gas station in town is a breath of fresh air when the yellow-orange light starts screaming from the dashboard of our car, warning us that it's time to give our beast's tank a drink—unless, at some point, we plan on getting out and pushing it.And to think that at the beginning of the 20th century, gasoline in Italy was sold in grocery stores and pharmacies, mainly used as a stain remover or for oil lamps.
Then, with the spread of automobiles, the need for dedicated refueling points emerged.
It was precisely from this need that the first gas pumps appeared in the 1920s, often placed on sidewalks or in front of shops, equipped with underground tanks and dispensing columns that sprouted like colorful pinnacles on the road surface.In the 1950s and 1960s, during the economic boom, service stations became distinctive elements of the urban landscape.
Designers like Mario Bacciocchi contributed to defining the style of AGIP stations, characterized by cantilever canopies, continuous glass walls, and functional design. These structures began to represent not only refueling points for drivers running on empty but true symbols of modernity and progress.Some of these structures were particularly cherished. They were taken by the hand and guided out of the tunnel of time that cracks canopies, crumbles cornices, and rusts metal frames.
In fact, some of the historic national service areas have been skillfully transformed into architectural and cultural landmarks, even before being functional ones.In honor of the old saying, "Every crow thinks its own chick is beautiful," I like to start with the Agip gas station in Piazzale Accursio, Milan.
It is one of the brightest examples of the potential of these urban spaces.
Designed in 1952 by architect Roberto Menghi, this service station is the expression of a modernist and rationalist style, with its continuous glass walls and cantilevered canopy.
It can well be considered the emblem of Italy during the economic boom and is undoubtedly one of the most successful integrations between service architecture and automotive culture.Besides Menghi, the AGIP station in Piazzale Accursio, Milan, was designed by Mario Bacciocchi and finally inaugurated in 1953.
After a careful and loving restoration curated by Michele De Lucchi, the old AGIP station in Piazzale Accursio now hosts Garage Italia Milano, a multifunctional space that includes a cocktail bar and a restaurant.
The building is distinguished by its curved canopies, continuous glass walls, and fluid lines that recall streamline aesthetics.
The structure is spread over two levels with a semi-basement floor and features elements evoking naval architecture, such as slanted walls and portholes.
Originally, it housed a bar, a workshop, and a car wash, as well as accommodations for the manager.
Its futuristic shapes earned it the nickname "spaceship," and its canopies were illuminated by neon tubes that emphasized the building's curved lines.In the 1980s, the plant definitively ceased its activity as a service station and continued to operate as a workshop.
But it wasn't until 2015 that Lapo Elkann launched a conservative restoration project, entrusted to De Lucchi.
The restoration, approved by the Fine Arts, preserved the building's original features, transforming it into the headquarters of Garage Italia, inaugurated in 2017.
The location is strategic, as the building sits at the intersection of Viale Certosa and Via Espinasse, in a natural "V" space that obviously influenced its design.
Once upon a time, the "Supercortemaggiore" sign towered over the building, making it a visual landmark. The massive sign was visible at night thanks to the neon lights that illuminated it, turning the Piazzale Accursio station into an urban landmark and a point of pride for Milanese drivers cruising through those roaring years.Supercortemaggiore was a fuel produced by Agip (which later became Eni), launched in 1953.
It was the first gasoline entirely refined from oil extracted in Italy, specifically from the Cortemaggiore field near Piacenza.
The name, in fact, combines "Super," indicating a high-performance fuel—still in use today—and "Cortemaggiore," the place where the crude oil was sourced.
In the midst of the post-war era, in an Italy still dependent on energy imports from abroad, the discovery of oil on national soil (even if Emilia is far from being Texas) and the local production of Supercortemaggiore were presented to the public as a technological and patriotic triumph.The advertising of the time proclaimed: "The powerful Italian gasoline," with the famous slogan: "The gasoline born in Italy from Italian oil."
It was also during that era that the iconic six-legged dog symbol, designed by Luigi Broggini, was born. It would go on to become the official logo of Eni and a symbol of industrial progress, energy, and motor power.
It is not a realistic dog but a fantastic animal, an industrial chimera, perfect for a company that wanted to convey strength, energy, and a sense of modern Italian identity.
The dog breathes fire from its mouth, like a mythological creature.
Its body is stylized, dynamic, almost reminiscent of a Futurist cartoon, and the six legs suggest speed, power, and synergy.
Or, according to the legendary explanation given later by Enrico Mattei, founder of Eni: "Four legs for the car and two for the man."
Then, with the spread of automobiles, the need for dedicated refueling points emerged.
It was precisely from this need that the first gas pumps appeared in the 1920s, often placed on sidewalks or in front of shops, equipped with underground tanks and dispensing columns that sprouted like colorful pinnacles on the road surface.In the 1950s and 1960s, during the economic boom, service stations became distinctive elements of the urban landscape.
Designers like Mario Bacciocchi contributed to defining the style of AGIP stations, characterized by cantilever canopies, continuous glass walls, and functional design. These structures began to represent not only refueling points for drivers running on empty but true symbols of modernity and progress.Some of these structures were particularly cherished. They were taken by the hand and guided out of the tunnel of time that cracks canopies, crumbles cornices, and rusts metal frames.
In fact, some of the historic national service areas have been skillfully transformed into architectural and cultural landmarks, even before being functional ones.In honor of the old saying, "Every crow thinks its own chick is beautiful," I like to start with the Agip gas station in Piazzale Accursio, Milan.
It is one of the brightest examples of the potential of these urban spaces.
Designed in 1952 by architect Roberto Menghi, this service station is the expression of a modernist and rationalist style, with its continuous glass walls and cantilevered canopy.
It can well be considered the emblem of Italy during the economic boom and is undoubtedly one of the most successful integrations between service architecture and automotive culture.Besides Menghi, the AGIP station in Piazzale Accursio, Milan, was designed by Mario Bacciocchi and finally inaugurated in 1953.
After a careful and loving restoration curated by Michele De Lucchi, the old AGIP station in Piazzale Accursio now hosts Garage Italia Milano, a multifunctional space that includes a cocktail bar and a restaurant.
The building is distinguished by its curved canopies, continuous glass walls, and fluid lines that recall streamline aesthetics.
The structure is spread over two levels with a semi-basement floor and features elements evoking naval architecture, such as slanted walls and portholes.
Originally, it housed a bar, a workshop, and a car wash, as well as accommodations for the manager.
Its futuristic shapes earned it the nickname "spaceship," and its canopies were illuminated by neon tubes that emphasized the building's curved lines.In the 1980s, the plant definitively ceased its activity as a service station and continued to operate as a workshop.
But it wasn't until 2015 that Lapo Elkann launched a conservative restoration project, entrusted to De Lucchi.
The restoration, approved by the Fine Arts, preserved the building's original features, transforming it into the headquarters of Garage Italia, inaugurated in 2017.
The location is strategic, as the building sits at the intersection of Viale Certosa and Via Espinasse, in a natural "V" space that obviously influenced its design.
Once upon a time, the "Supercortemaggiore" sign towered over the building, making it a visual landmark. The massive sign was visible at night thanks to the neon lights that illuminated it, turning the Piazzale Accursio station into an urban landmark and a point of pride for Milanese drivers cruising through those roaring years.Supercortemaggiore was a fuel produced by Agip (which later became Eni), launched in 1953.
It was the first gasoline entirely refined from oil extracted in Italy, specifically from the Cortemaggiore field near Piacenza.
The name, in fact, combines "Super," indicating a high-performance fuel—still in use today—and "Cortemaggiore," the place where the crude oil was sourced.
In the midst of the post-war era, in an Italy still dependent on energy imports from abroad, the discovery of oil on national soil (even if Emilia is far from being Texas) and the local production of Supercortemaggiore were presented to the public as a technological and patriotic triumph.The advertising of the time proclaimed: "The powerful Italian gasoline," with the famous slogan: "The gasoline born in Italy from Italian oil."
It was also during that era that the iconic six-legged dog symbol, designed by Luigi Broggini, was born. It would go on to become the official logo of Eni and a symbol of industrial progress, energy, and motor power.
It is not a realistic dog but a fantastic animal, an industrial chimera, perfect for a company that wanted to convey strength, energy, and a sense of modern Italian identity.
The dog breathes fire from its mouth, like a mythological creature.
Its body is stylized, dynamic, almost reminiscent of a Futurist cartoon, and the six legs suggest speed, power, and synergy.
Or, according to the legendary explanation given later by Enrico Mattei, founder of Eni: "Four legs for the car and two for the man."
Apparently, we no longer have photographic evidence of another example of visionary architecture from 1958, the year the Shell gas station in Casalecchio di Reno was inaugurated, designed by the brilliant Ico Parisi.
A symbol of international modernism, with its light structure and shell-shaped roof, this service station has always been considered a rare piece of signature design applied to a popular context. A true example of the balance between functionality and visual poetry.The great Ico Parisi, known for his innovative and experimental approach, helped redefine the aesthetics of mobility-related infrastructure during Italy's economic boom.
And although specific information about this gas station is limited, we know that Parisi applied his modernist design principles to this project as well, focusing on everyday-use buildings.His works are distinguished by the use of innovative materials, clean lines, and a particular attention to integration with the surrounding environment.
Parisi was a prominent Italian architect and designer, especially known for his ability to blend art, architecture, and industrial design.
Throughout his life, Ico Parisi collaborated with some of the most important Italian companies, contributing to the definition of post-war style with furniture and structures that are still considered iconic today.
A symbol of international modernism, with its light structure and shell-shaped roof, this service station has always been considered a rare piece of signature design applied to a popular context. A true example of the balance between functionality and visual poetry.The great Ico Parisi, known for his innovative and experimental approach, helped redefine the aesthetics of mobility-related infrastructure during Italy's economic boom.
And although specific information about this gas station is limited, we know that Parisi applied his modernist design principles to this project as well, focusing on everyday-use buildings.His works are distinguished by the use of innovative materials, clean lines, and a particular attention to integration with the surrounding environment.
Parisi was a prominent Italian architect and designer, especially known for his ability to blend art, architecture, and industrial design.
Throughout his life, Ico Parisi collaborated with some of the most important Italian companies, contributing to the definition of post-war style with furniture and structures that are still considered iconic today.
Another noteworthy moment in the saga of "Dad, please, can we stop?" is the Pavesi Service Area of Fiorenzuola d'Arda, inaugurated on December 31, 1959, from a project by architect Angelo Bianchetti.
In this case, we are fully immersed in highway futurism, with its famous bridge structure and suspended restaurant over both lanes of traffic.
Located along the Autostrada del Sole, between Parma and Piacenza, the Fiorenzuola d'Arda service area occupies a strategic position in the heart of the Po Valley.
This rest stop was chosen for its proximity to the intersection with the A21 motorway branch, making it a crucial hub for travelers looking for refueling and a meeting point for the gastronomic traditions of Emilia and Lombardy.Modified over time but still active and functional today, Bianchetti's Pavesi station is the pure symbol of modernist optimism that represented, for its time, a new way of experiencing car travel.
Over the years, the Pavesi Autogrill of Fiorenzuola d'Arda has been recognized as a work of historical and cultural significance.
In 2023, it became the subject of a protection decree by the Ministry of Culture, recognizing its importance as part of the 20th-century Italian architectural heritage.All things considered, it will always remain the first bridge structure built in Europe with commercial functions.
In this case, we are fully immersed in highway futurism, with its famous bridge structure and suspended restaurant over both lanes of traffic.
Located along the Autostrada del Sole, between Parma and Piacenza, the Fiorenzuola d'Arda service area occupies a strategic position in the heart of the Po Valley.
This rest stop was chosen for its proximity to the intersection with the A21 motorway branch, making it a crucial hub for travelers looking for refueling and a meeting point for the gastronomic traditions of Emilia and Lombardy.Modified over time but still active and functional today, Bianchetti's Pavesi station is the pure symbol of modernist optimism that represented, for its time, a new way of experiencing car travel.
Over the years, the Pavesi Autogrill of Fiorenzuola d'Arda has been recognized as a work of historical and cultural significance.
In 2023, it became the subject of a protection decree by the Ministry of Culture, recognizing its importance as part of the 20th-century Italian architectural heritage.All things considered, it will always remain the first bridge structure built in Europe with commercial functions.
And there are still many other architectural gems related to automotive in our country.
Like the Agip station in Monte Mario, Rome, currently unused but still standing.
In pure 1950s style, its design is attributed to architect Luigi Moretti and is considered a true example of Rationalism, with the use of plastic details on a reinforced concrete structure, featuring glass walls and dynamic volumes.
This Monte Mario station is one of the most elegant examples of urban gas stations, with its sculptural form and functional layout that showcase the attention to detail characteristic of high-class architecture of that era.Or the Agip service station in Largo Boccioni, Milan.
Built around 1952 from a project by the Agip Technical Office, led by architect Mario Bacciocchi, it ranks as an example of rationalist-industrial style, with its symmetrical layout, cantilevered roof, and a true glass-brick turret.
This service station was demolished in the 1980s but is still regarded as one of the "standard" model types developed by AGIP, with highly refined architectural elements.It is also worth remembering the Limena service area in Padua, which came to light in the heart of the 1960s, before the oil crisis, from the imaginative drafts of architect Ignazio Gardella.
The Limena area is an example of organic modernism, equipped with a shell-shaped canopy and once again characterized by fluid lines.
The structure is still standing, although no longer in use as a rest area, and at the time, it was a unique piece designed to amaze and welcome visitors. It is still considered one of the best examples of "travel architecture."In Piacenza, where the former AGIP station on Via Colombo from the 1950s became a gastronomic and street food kiosk in 2020 under the original canopy.
In Rimini, where the former ENI station on Via Marecchiese from the 1960s was transformed in 2019 into a wine bar, with the minimal design of the preserved structure framing the refined evening venue.
In Rome, where the former Total station in Pigneto was converted in 2018 from a 1950s service station into a modern urban space for events, exhibitions, and cultural festivals.
In Turin, in the elegant Crocetta district, where a historic former Agip station from the 1940s was converted in 2015 into a coffee shop and showroom. The renovation respected the original structure while adding a retro-chic touch.
In Pistoia, where a historic city gas station was turned into a juice bar and organic street food spot, the result of a sustainable urban reuse project.
In Oltrarno, Florence, where a 1950s station was transformed into a Tourist Info Point, maintaining its original glass walls and layout.
In Genoa, where in 2018, a sustainable fast food restaurant was created inside the renovation of a 1960s service station, giving life to a true fusion of vintage design and youthful gastronomic offerings.
Finally, in Trento, where a 1950s service station, following a public call for projects, was recently converted into an exhibition space for emerging artists.
Like the Agip station in Monte Mario, Rome, currently unused but still standing.
In pure 1950s style, its design is attributed to architect Luigi Moretti and is considered a true example of Rationalism, with the use of plastic details on a reinforced concrete structure, featuring glass walls and dynamic volumes.
This Monte Mario station is one of the most elegant examples of urban gas stations, with its sculptural form and functional layout that showcase the attention to detail characteristic of high-class architecture of that era.Or the Agip service station in Largo Boccioni, Milan.
Built around 1952 from a project by the Agip Technical Office, led by architect Mario Bacciocchi, it ranks as an example of rationalist-industrial style, with its symmetrical layout, cantilevered roof, and a true glass-brick turret.
This service station was demolished in the 1980s but is still regarded as one of the "standard" model types developed by AGIP, with highly refined architectural elements.It is also worth remembering the Limena service area in Padua, which came to light in the heart of the 1960s, before the oil crisis, from the imaginative drafts of architect Ignazio Gardella.
The Limena area is an example of organic modernism, equipped with a shell-shaped canopy and once again characterized by fluid lines.
The structure is still standing, although no longer in use as a rest area, and at the time, it was a unique piece designed to amaze and welcome visitors. It is still considered one of the best examples of "travel architecture."In Piacenza, where the former AGIP station on Via Colombo from the 1950s became a gastronomic and street food kiosk in 2020 under the original canopy.
In Rimini, where the former ENI station on Via Marecchiese from the 1960s was transformed in 2019 into a wine bar, with the minimal design of the preserved structure framing the refined evening venue.
In Rome, where the former Total station in Pigneto was converted in 2018 from a 1950s service station into a modern urban space for events, exhibitions, and cultural festivals.
In Turin, in the elegant Crocetta district, where a historic former Agip station from the 1940s was converted in 2015 into a coffee shop and showroom. The renovation respected the original structure while adding a retro-chic touch.
In Pistoia, where a historic city gas station was turned into a juice bar and organic street food spot, the result of a sustainable urban reuse project.
In Oltrarno, Florence, where a 1950s station was transformed into a Tourist Info Point, maintaining its original glass walls and layout.
In Genoa, where in 2018, a sustainable fast food restaurant was created inside the renovation of a 1960s service station, giving life to a true fusion of vintage design and youthful gastronomic offerings.
Finally, in Trento, where a 1950s service station, following a public call for projects, was recently converted into an exhibition space for emerging artists.
But the service areas in our country are not just places for refreshment, rest, and refueling.
They are also energy bridges, historical hubs deeply rooted in the urban and social fabric of Italy where they were built.
And sometimes, they become pulsating symbols of fundamental historical moments and turning points in the life of a population, as in the case of the Esso service station in Piazzale Loreto, Milan.Designed by an unknown architect, it was a pure expression of urban rationalism, with its slender canopies and interweaving glass and metal structures.
It was one of the most frequented service stations in the city.
Completely demolished, today it remains only in photographs and in the collective memory of both the city and the nation, as an icon of post-war motorization.This is the place where, on April 29, 1945, the bodies of Benito Mussolini, Claretta Petacci, and other fascist leaders were displayed, hung upside down from the station's canopy.
A symbolic act in response to the massacre of fifteen anti-fascist partisans executed in the same square on August 10, 1944.The gas station was located right at the corner of Corso Buenos Aires and Piazzale Loreto, in a strategic position for city traffic.
The service station consisted of a metal canopy supported by columns, typical of the functional architecture of that era.
The gas pumps were located under the canopy, while the service building faced directly onto the square.After the war, the station continued to operate for some time, but in the 1950s it was demolished to make way for new constructions.
And for new stories.
They are also energy bridges, historical hubs deeply rooted in the urban and social fabric of Italy where they were built.
And sometimes, they become pulsating symbols of fundamental historical moments and turning points in the life of a population, as in the case of the Esso service station in Piazzale Loreto, Milan.Designed by an unknown architect, it was a pure expression of urban rationalism, with its slender canopies and interweaving glass and metal structures.
It was one of the most frequented service stations in the city.
Completely demolished, today it remains only in photographs and in the collective memory of both the city and the nation, as an icon of post-war motorization.This is the place where, on April 29, 1945, the bodies of Benito Mussolini, Claretta Petacci, and other fascist leaders were displayed, hung upside down from the station's canopy.
A symbolic act in response to the massacre of fifteen anti-fascist partisans executed in the same square on August 10, 1944.The gas station was located right at the corner of Corso Buenos Aires and Piazzale Loreto, in a strategic position for city traffic.
The service station consisted of a metal canopy supported by columns, typical of the functional architecture of that era.
The gas pumps were located under the canopy, while the service building faced directly onto the square.After the war, the station continued to operate for some time, but in the 1950s it was demolished to make way for new constructions.
And for new stories.
