I first noticed it standing in the middle of a wide, manicured lawn at the Foro Italico sports complex. A 57-foot-tall obelisk, carved from a single block of marble, with the words “Mussolini Dux” still clearly visible. I had brought my kids to see where Rome’s athletes train, not expecting a monument that openly glorifies the dictator who allied with Hitler and brought Italy into World War II. According to historian Lucia Ceci, most Italians simply ignore the obelisk and the mosaics and statues that surround it. But I couldn’t look away.
Italy never underwent a de-fascistization comparable to Germany’s de-Nazification after WWII. The buildings and street names remain, integrated smoothly into the memory of the city.
– npr.org
If you’re visiting Rome and want to understand the city beyond ancient ruins and Renaissance churches, you should see the fascist-era landmarks. They’re not hidden. They’re just rarely explained. This guide tells you what you’re actually looking at — and why it matters.
History buffs
Architecture lovers
Travelers who want context
I’m Emily Carter, a freelance writer from Boston who travels to Italy with my husband Michael and our two kids, Lily (7) and Ethan (4). I’ve been to Rome half a dozen times, but I never really looked at the fascist architecture until a historian friend pointed it out. Now I can’t unsee it. This article covers the main sites — the Foro Italico, the EUR neighborhood, and the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana — and explains what they are, why they’re still standing, and how to visit them with your own family.
Architecture & History
Foro Italico: Sports Complex With a Dark Past
The Foro Italico was built as the Foro Mussolini, a massive sports complex meant to glorify the regime through athletics.
You’ll find it just north of the city center, near the Olympic Stadium. The complex includes marble slabs with mosaics that celebrate the regime. One shows Mussolini’s slogan “many enemies, much honor.” Others feature large Ms for his name. The obelisk I mentioned earlier stands at the entrance, still inscribed with “Mussolini Dux.”
Nelly Porcu, an athlete training for a marathon at the sports center, told NPR she finds the obelisk design “tacky, so kitsch, cheesy.” I get that. But I also think it’s dangerous to dismiss it as just bad taste. These monuments were propaganda, and they still work as propaganda if nobody talks about what they mean.
Visit on a weekday morning when athletes are training. You’ll see the complex as it was intended — a working monument to physical fitness. The mosaics are easiest to spot near the Stadio dei Marmi, where 60 larger-than-life male nude statues surround the track.
Neighborhood Guide
EUR: Mussolini’s “Third Rome”
The EUR district was built from scratch to host the 1942 Universal Exposition, celebrating 20 years of fascist rule. The exposition never happened — World War II got in the way — but the neighborhood was completed by the 1960s.
EUR stands for Esposizione Universale Roma. It’s a sprawling, orderly neighborhood south of the city center, with wide boulevards and massive buildings that feel nothing like the rest of Rome. That’s the point. Mussolini wanted to create a “Third Rome” that linked his regime to the ancient empire and the Renaissance.
The most famous building here is the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, often called the Square Colosseum. It’s a stark, white, six-story building with 216 arches. It was built to celebrate Italy’s conquest of Ethiopia. Historian Marla Stone describes it as “very much a celebration of war, conquest and empire.” Today it houses the global headquarters of the Fendi fashion house, which moved in during 2015.
The EUR neighborhood hosted the G20 Summit in 2021. Its wide boulevards and large structures made it easy to secure. That’s the same reason Mussolini built it that way — control and spectacle.
Walk a few blocks to the Palazzo degli Uffici, and you’ll see a gigantic bas-relief at the main entrance. It depicts Romulus and Remus, the ancient empire, the Renaissance, Garibaldi, and Mussolini as a Roman general. The dictator’s head was chopped off after WWII but later restored or replaced. A statue of a young man giving the fascist salute still stands nearby. Bronze straps were added to his hands, turning him into a boxer ostensibly hailing a victory. Its original name was “Genius of Fascism.” It was changed to “Genius of Sport.”
There are no explanatory plaques at any of these sites. You have to know what you’re looking at. The mapping project coordinated by historian Lucia Ceci and backed by the Ferruccio Parri National Institute in Milan aims to change that, but it’s not there yet. Bring a guidebook or read this article before you go.
Why Are These Monuments Still Standing?
Germany underwent de-Nazification after WWII. Italy did not undergo an equivalent de-fascistization. That’s the short answer.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat wrote about this in The New Yorker in 2017, asking why so many fascist monuments are still standing in Italy. She received hate mail from Italians who cited aesthetic value as a reason to keep them. The Italian Parliament discussed removing some monuments a few years ago, but the proposal failed. Laura Boldrini called for the removal of the obelisk at Foro Italico in 2015. The proposal was rejected to avoid “stigmatizing” the artwork.
The victorious Allies chose not to confront Italy over its fascist legacy. There were too many buildings, and the country was too poor to rebuild. So the monuments stayed. They’re now seen as part of Italian heritage, integrated smoothly into the memory of the city. Some Italians see EUR as modernist architecture inspired by ancient Rome rather than a monument to fascism. Others value the order and functionality of the neighborhood. One resident described it as “more livable than Rome.”
- Italy never had a de-fascistization process like Germany’s de-Nazification. The buildings remain because nobody systematically removed them.
- Most sites have no explanatory plaques. You need to research before visiting or bring a guide.
- The monuments are still used daily — as sports facilities, government offices, and fashion headquarters. That makes them easy to overlook but also easy to visit.
Before You Visit Rome’s Fascist Landmarks
Can I visit these sites with kids?
Yes. The Foro Italico is a working sports complex with open spaces where kids can run. The EUR neighborhood has wide sidewalks and a few parks. Lily and Ethan found the statues weird but not scary. I kept explanations short and focused on what they could see.
Are there guided tours that cover fascist architecture?
Not many. Most Rome tours focus on ancient or Renaissance sites. A few specialized walking tours cover fascist architecture, but they’re rare. I recommend reading up beforehand and doing a self-guided walk. The mapping project from the Ferruccio Parri National Institute is a good starting point.
Is the EUR neighborhood worth visiting for non-history reasons?
Yes. It’s a functional business district with good restaurants, wide streets, and a very different vibe from central Rome. The Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana is striking even if you ignore its history. The neighborhood also has a large park, the Parco Centrale del Lago, which is great for a picnic.
What’s the biggest disappointment about these sites?
The lack of context. You stand in front of a building that was propaganda for a murderous regime, and there’s nothing telling you that. No plaque. No QR code. No museum. It feels like the city is pretending the history doesn’t exist. That’s frustrating, especially if you’ve brought kids and want to teach them something real.
Are there any plans to add explanatory plaques?
Yes. The mapping project coordinated by historian Lucia Ceci does not call for destruction but wants to add explanatory plaques to contextualize origins and promote a reckoning with the legacy of the regime. It’s a slow process, and there’s political resistance, especially with the rise of right-wing movements in Italy.
Seeing Rome’s Full Story
I’ve walked past the obelisk at Foro Italico three times before I actually saw it. That’s the thing about Rome — the history is so layered that you can miss entire eras if you’re not looking. The fascist landmarks are not hidden. They’re just not explained. And that silence is itself a kind of message. For a deeper look at Rome beyond the tourist trail, check out my guide to Rome’s secret spots — it covers more overlooked corners of the city, including some that don’t come with political baggage.
Sources and further reading
NPR. “Italy’s fascist-era monuments are still standing — and still controversial.” 2023. 🔗
Nanovic Institute for European Studies, University of Notre Dame. “EUR District of Rome.” 🔗
Public History Weekly. “The Hidden Memory of the City: Fascist Rome.” 2019. 🔗
Ben-Ghiat, Ruth. “Why Are So Many Fascist Monuments Still Standing in Italy?” The New Yorker, 2017. 🔗
Related reading on Emily in Italy
Find Rome’s Real Flavors Beyond Tourist Spots — A food-focused guide to neighborhoods where locals eat, including the EUR district.
Italy Travel Guide to Rome — Practical planning advice for first-time visitors, with tips on getting around and where to stay.
Rome’s Gardens Offer a Peaceful Day Trip — Covers parks and green spaces, including the Parco Centrale del Lago in EUR.
Best Rome Hotel Areas for Tourists — Breaks down neighborhoods by vibe and convenience, including EUR for business travelers.