The secret bunkers built between 1942 and 1943 where Benito Mussolini and his family sought refuge … [+]
Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini’s dramatic underground bomb shelters have been renovated and at the moment are open to the general public. The network of fortified bunkers was built over 80 years ago to guard him and his family from Allied bombing raids.
Villa Torlonia was the private residence of Benito Mussolini and his family between 1925 and 1943, including his wife Rachele and kids Edda, Vittorio, Buno, Romano and Anna Maria. The villa was originally in-built 1797 and served as a residence for noble families for hundreds of years. In 1806 the villa was converted right into a spectacular palace with a big casino in addition to a big park with small lakes, a tennis court and even horse stables. In 1925 the property was given to Mussolini as his primary residence.
Beneath Mussolini’s large compound are three underground structures. The first was in his wine cellar under Lake Villas in 1940 after which within the basement of the Casino Nobile, certainly one of the buildings on his property. Although well-built with 4 feet of reinforced concrete, gas-proof doors, and an air purification system, Mussolini never had the chance to really use the bunkers before his arrest.
Floor plan of the Mussolini bunker under Villa Torlonia
In 2011, a government worker working within the palazzo discovered a wood trapdoor in certainly one of the rooms. When it was opened, they found a brick staircase that led 70 feet underground. This was the primary time anyone knew that Mussolini had hidden a bunker under his palazzo.
When they got to the underside, they found a passageway with Roman vaulted ceilings and even ancient mosaics on the partitions. This resulted in a contemporary cement complex divided into nine rooms. According to the records, the ventilation system kept out any moisture and the realm was completely dry. The construction of a secret passage for the dictator, which might lead him on to the Vittorio Emanuele monument, had even begun, but was never accomplished.
In certainly one of three underground bunkers with fire doors and multimedia installations
As the war progressed, Mussolini had a tank bunker built 20 feet underground in front of the Casino Nobile. The bunkers were in-built a cross shape with 50-foot-long corridors and 13 feet of reinforced concrete. When construction began in 1942, the unfinished bunker had neither watertight doors nor a ventilation system.
I recently took a non-public tour of the bunker and it was exciting to get a comprehensive have a look at what it looked like through the Allied attacks. The bunkers are equipped with a tremendous sound system that causes the partitions to shake and shake as shots and bombs hit the buildings above. Viewing interactive video partitions of people who find themselves within the bunker on the time only adds to the dramatic feeling you get. The fully immersive virtual experience recreates the 51 air raids that hit Rome between July 1943 and May 1944.
Entrance to Mussolini’s bunker below his private residence Villa Torlonia
The exhibition begins with the story of life within the villa with Mussolini, complete with multimedia images and videos. Then you undergo three rooms with projections of what life within the bunker may need looked like and at last down a steep staircase into the bunker. After the tour, make sure to explore the grounds of the villa, which is open to the general public freed from charge and was used as a military base by Allied forces after Mussolini’s arrest.
The “Rifugio e il Bunker” is included within the Villa Torlonia museum tour and is open for tours for people with English-language tours on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets can be found online via Villa Torlonia Museum website or in person on the money desks in Casino Nobile.
Casino Nobile above the key bunkers built between 1942 and 1943 where Benito Mussolini and his family lived … [+]
