Rome Mussolini's Bunker and Villa Torlonia in 3 hours

Sightseeing  :  Italy  :  Latium And Rome  :  Rome  :  Walking Tours

Marvel at the wonders of the Neo-classical Villa Torlonia, where the last Italian dictator Benito Mussolini lived for nearly 20 years. You will then descend into a forgotten bomb and gas proof bunker, made of double-steel doors, passageways, and communication equipment. Finally you will admire the magical Casina delle Civette This tour begins at Villa Torlonia, home to Mussolini from 1929 until 1943, in which he had installed a bunker and two anti-aircraft shelters. First, you will visit the Duce's private quarters located in the Casino Nobile, the main palace of the villa complex erected by the famous architect Valadier. Then you will continue to the anti-aircraft shelters which were constructed using preexisting structures and contained telephones, work areas and facilities necessary for extended sojourns following the Rome air raid alarms.
After the bombings of Milan, Turin and Genoa in October 1942, Mussolini decided his residence at Villa Torlonia needed a proper bunker standing up to the test of even direct hits by the heaviest bombs at the time. Another highlight of the tour is the visit of the wonderful "Casina delle Civette" (Little house of the Owls), a magical and esoteric place, work of Alessandro Torlonia, that probably inspired the Art Nouveau architect Coppedè, in the realization of the eponimous "Quartiere Coppedè", adjecent to the villa.