Pesaro, August 30, 2026 – “The first gym? In a large room on the top floor of the town hall building in Piazza del Popolo. It was 1963. 200 square meters and there were only 5 of us enthusiasts. We had the exercise equipment made by the blacksmith ourselves, all handmade, all passion,” says Giorgio Tamburini, 83 years old, owner of the ‘Big Gym’ gym on Urbinate. Actually former gym because today is the last day of operation.
Read more 20-meter yacht on fire off Jesolo. 10 people on board rescued
“Enough, the warehouse where we are now, by intended use, will become a public parking lot, and the one next to it, actually at the back, also according to the zoning plan cannot be converted into a gym because it is designated as storage. We had hoped to move behind and continue the activity, but there is nothing to be done so I decided, since I am celebrating 83 years, to close everything and retire. Also, it would have been a huge expense, around 200 thousand euros to move the equipment, install showers and bathrooms, and also the floors. And how long do I have to live to amortize such an investment, assuming it was even possible to do it?”.
Last known address, Strada Montefeltro just below Santa Colomba. Last location with about 300 clients, the final stop of a pilgrimage that for over half a century has seen the ‘Big Gym’ gym practically wander throughout the historic center. “All passion, and the first gym with showers and changing rooms arrived in 1978 when I opened in Soria. Before? After finishing work at the gym everyone would grab their bag and go home to wash. Over the years it has been a continuous search for ever larger spaces because the clientele kept increasing). I opened 12 centers in the historic center”, Tamburini recounts.
Inside the 6,000 square meter gym on Via Montefeltro there was also a basketball court “where in summer Daniel Hackett and also Cinciarini, father and son, used to and still come here to play to stay in shape”, continues Giorgio Tamburini. The city’s first gym also where you could play squash, that is a ‘match’ of tennis having a wall as an opponent.
Read more Odyssey for a Pap test, report awaited for 4 months: «Enough, I’m going private»
A thread of sadness runs through Tamburini’s words anyway. “There is nothing to be done, we have to close, because these are the rules and from September all the checks will start. You can’t take risks. Tried and tried again, but they want me to close. Moreover, I also have to return the money to the clients who had an annual subscription. Fortunately many expired right at the end of this month”.
Clientele divided how? “60 percent of the attendees were men and the remaining 40 percent women. And do you know who got angrier when I announced that from tomorrow (today, ed.) I would close the activity? The women”.
m. g.
