The historic core of Rome is ravishing, but as soon as I saw a photo of Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, I knew my trip wouldn’t be complete with a visit there. We travelled there by Rome’s metro system, which could be described in one word: rickety. So remarkably shoddy is the system, that on entering, I didn’t think the ticket machine would work as nothing looked in working order. Lights were out, windows were missing the essential glass contingent and the station was empty. Astonishingly, a moving piece of graffiti came towards us and on closer inspection, it was a metro train. I can honestly say I have never been on a public transportation system in such disrepair and it lived up to my expectations. I loved it.
The Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana a slice of Italian history, designed in 1938 for inclusion in the World Fair of 1942 and its entire purpose was to show off Italy and Fascism to the world. It was supposed to do this on the 20th anniversary of fascism in Italy, but clearly, things didn’t go to plan. The building was finally fully constructed in 1943, just in time to celebrate the fall of the fascist regime. The design of the building followed principles of fascist architecture, with a design that eschewed complex decoration but had echoes of the classic buildings of Rome. The Palazzo has been called the “Square Colosseum” due to the inspiration that building gave. For instance, the loggias of the Palazzo are similar to those of the Colosseum.
The exterior of the building looks like marble but the building was actually a concrete skeleton with a layer of travertine that gives it the appearance of being entirely made of stone. It’s an incredible achievement and the building looks astonishing from a distance and utterly transfixing from up close. Around the building are sculptures of horses, which seem to feature heavily in the world of fascism. But what I found most interesting were the 28 statues that represent different trades and industries of Italy. They perfectly complement the building, adding a touch of the ancient world to a building that feels like a perfect blend of the past and the future. I have since seen images of the building lit up at night and it looks perfect.
After walking around the building, alongside a tour group who all bought dogs with them (it was unclear why this was happening), we walked through some of the EUR district to see what else stood out. The Palazzo dei Congressi looks somewhat reminiscent of the Royal Festival Hall in London and was designed in 1938 to be ready for the World Fair, and remained incomplete until 1954. Another building that caught my eye was a mural that represented the history of Italy. Lots of triumphs, horses, death. That sort of thing. It’s enormous and in keeping with the glorified storytelling of the government.
After a long walk in the district, I couldn’t help but feel just a little bit of dread being around these buildings. Beautiful, yes. But are they comforting and warm? No? They feel, at times, cold and clinical. They are designed to make people feel small and insignificant. Perhaps in that feeling lies a small part of the problem of these sorts of governments. They just don’t feel like they’re for the people, more like the people exist to beautify the government.
