Mussolini's air-raid shelter and bunker at Villa Torlonia reopen in Rome

The air-raid shelter and unfinished bunker built for Benito Mussolini beneath Villa Torlonia in Rome have reopened to the public after extensive restoration. The shelter was constructed in 1941 in the basement of the Casino Nobile, while the bunker, begun in 1942, remained incomplete after Mussolini's arrest on April 25, 1943. The new visitor experience, curated by Federica Pirani and Annapaola Agati, features multimedia installations and a redesigned path that evokes the claustrophobic descent into the underground spaces. The bunker now includes photographs and audio-visual content simulating an aerial attack. These structures bear witness to the 51 air raids that struck Rome between July 1943 and May 1944. The reopening took place on April 5, 2024.