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Abstract: THE LAZY CAPITAL: SPORTS AND LEISURE BETWEEN 1870 AND 1940   Up to the fall of Fascism, Rome was not a very <<sporty>> capital. There were very few infrastructures, hardly any national or international sports meetings and the entire population as a whole was not very interested. However, the period between 1870 and 1940 marked a rapid change. Following the breccia di Porta Pia, Rome remained a stagnant economic center and lacked the requisites of a modern capital city. The liberal state had created many administrative structures, but had hardly invested anything in leisure and sports as it was not important for its political and ideological prospects. The last decade of the century witnessed the first changes: infrastructures were constructed ( a race course, a rifle range and a sports complex at Tor di Quinto and a cycle track at Porta Salaria) and sports groups were founded (Roma, Borgo-Prati, Lazio). However, one of the greatest stimuli was the 1911 Universal Exposition for which the parioli race course and the national stadium by Marcello Piacentini was erected. The impetus continued during the Fascism and many important sports complexes were constructed, including Capannelle race track, designed by Vietti Violi and Foro Mussolini (the present Foro Italico) designed by Del Debbio. Mussolini had also tried to host the Olympic Games in Rome (an old goal of De Coubertin) but was blocked by the beginning of World War II. Nonetheless, at the end of the Thrities, Rome’s sporting complexes stil lagged far behind those of other European cities.