Video Guide for Casa Natale Mussolini - Predappio

You can put this video on your website by simply copying and placing the following embed code on your page:

Casa Natale Mussolini was a simple rural building where the Mussolini family lived in for a few years. The commune of Predappio restored it to host exhibitions. Florestano Di Fausto designed the square in front of the house with grand steps up to it but Mussolini had them demolished. A copper bust in the attic is the only fascist mark left here.

Travel Video Tags for Casa Natale Mussolini:

Florestano Di Fausto , Benito Mussolini , scalea , birth home , Il Duce ,

Some of our other Video Guides for Predappio

Casa Natale Mussolini - Photos

Casa Natale Mussolini Travel Video - Audio Transcript

Casa Natale Mussolini

Just before the house where Benito Mussolini was born is this small half-moon shaped public square called Piazza Garibaldi. It was designed by Florestano Di Fausto in the VI year of the Fascist era.

This square was the economic centre of the town but more importantly, for Mussolini, the daily market here brought people together. Hence, this micro scale of uniting a community around a common good represented his political aspirations for leading the nation. Di Fausto also designed it to frame the house where Benito Mussolini was born. Furthermore, due to Mussolini’s mythical status he also designed steps leading to the house as seen in this footage. Mussolini though, had them destroyed since he believed such a monumental status stood in stark contrast to his humble origins.

This was a rural modest building that for a few years hosted the Mussolini family. It was originally subdivided into a housing area and a forge on this ground floor where his father was said to have worked.

Unfortunately, there is little to view of the original aspect of Mussolini’s house or for that matter are there any clear signs of its historical significance. Recently, the commune of Predappio had the building restored and opened to the public as an exhibition centre.

The present exhibition referred to as ‘Predappio in Luce’, displays photos of this area. It represents a broad sweep of how this commune looked from a social and cultural perspective between 1920-1940. On a local level, it’s an important witness to the changes that took place under Mussolini. In particular, it bears an even greater significance of the consequences of Mussolini’s attempt to try and replicate this model nationwide. For this reason, many of the photos display ordinary people from the villages, fields and work places around here.

The later photos show the obvious element of disparity between those early years of innocence and the more somber, militaristic tone that befell not only Predappio but the country as a whole. Workers, families and children playing in the fields give way to groups of marching bands and people in uniform. Even those snapped going to his house to pay homage could be said to radiate a certain invincibility at the experience.

Although there is no furniture or indication of Mussolini’s past lurking here, there is one token relating to his persona. This copper bust displaying ‘Il Duce’ solemn faced, at the foot of a model of Piazza Garibaldi, is hiding away among the dust and debris of the attic. Due to the many visitors to the house, a number of which are highly motivated to offer ‘Il Duce’ a new home, it may be some time before this tribute to Benito Mussolini sees daylight again.

References

Predappio in Luce. Film documentario di Marco Bertozzi. Emila Romagna: Almafilm e Istitute Luce, 2008.

http://www.comune.predappio.fo.it

External Links