Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana

The Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana ("Palace of Italian Civilization"), also known as the Palazzo della Civiltà del Lavoro ("Palace of Working Civilization"), or in everyday speech as the Colosseo Quadrato ("Square Colosseum"), is a building in the EUR district in Rome, Italy. It was designed in 1938 by three Italian architects: Giovanni Guerrini, Ernesto Lapadula, and Mario Romano. The building is an example of Italian Rationalism and fascist architecture with neoclassical design, representing romanità, a philosophy which encompasses the past, present, and future all in one. The monumentality of the structure was meant to reflect the fascist regime's new course in Italian history.

The design of the building draws inspiration from the Colosseum with rows of arches. According to legend, the structure's six vertical and nine horizontal arches are correlated to the number of letters in the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's name.

The Palazzo was inaugurated on November 30, 1940, despite being unfinished. Ten years after its completion, the Palazzo was adorned with statues on the ground floor and steps that ascend to its entrance. The building was designed to be the Museum of Italian Civilization at the 1942 World Fair, demonstrating the superiority of Italian architecture. The building is located in the Esposizione Universale Roma (EUR) district of Rome, also known as the E42 district, which serves as a symbol of Italy's National Fascist Party. Ultimately the building was never used for its intended purposes following the aftermath of World War II, however the EUR has since been revitalized as a residential and business district. The building is now used as the headquarters for the Italian fashion house Fendi.

Text adapted from “Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana ranks #606 of 7,738 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #45 of the 452 mapped in Italy. Founded 1939 — one of 177 atlas entries founded in the 20th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 29,173 times in the last 60 days, more than 98% of the atlas. 63 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Rome, 6 km away. See how Italy compares in the castle statistics.

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