Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, Rome

The Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, also known as the Colosseo Quadrato (Square Colosseum), is an iconic structure in the Eur district of Rome, Italy. This imposing building, characterized by its symmetrical architecture and stark white façade, stands as a testament to Fascist-era design, having been commissioned by Benito Mussolini for the 1942 World's Fair. The fair, however, never took place due to World War II.

Constructed between 1938 and 1943, the Palazzo is a palace in the sense of a grand public building rather than a royal residence. It features six rows of nine arches each—a design reminiscent of the Roman Colosseum—which gives the building its distinctive look and nickname. The entire structure is clad in travertine marble, further emphasizing its grandeur and the Fascist regime's penchant for classical Roman aesthetics.

The Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana spans six floors and reaches a height of 68 meters, making it a prominent feature of the Rome skyline. Its design embodies the principles of rationalist architecture, with clean lines, geometric shapes, and a lack of ornamentation, aside from the statuary and inscriptions that align with Fascist ideology.

After decades of various uses and periods of vacancy, the building has found a new life in the 21st century. In 2015, the luxury fashion house Fendi moved its headquarters to the Palazzo, after signing a long-term lease with the city of Rome. Fendi's restoration of the building included the creation of an exhibition space on the ground floor, which is occasionally open to the public for special events and exhibitions, allowing visitors to experience the interior's vast, column-free halls.