In the midst of World War II, Mussolini’s Villa Torlonia was built with three underground bunkers, designed to protect him and his family from Allied bombing. Over 80 years later, these secret shelters have been renovated and are now open for public viewing.
Located beneath Mussolini’s grand estate in Rome, the bunkers were strategically constructed in three different structures. The first bunker was built in 1940 in Mussolini’s wine cellar under the Villa’s Lake. This was followed by an underground basement bunker in the Casino Nobile building on the property. These structures were heavily fortified with four feet of reinforced concrete, anti-gas doors, and an air purification system.
As the war progressed, Mussolini added an armored bunker located 20 feet underground in front of the Casino Nobile. The bunkers were built in a cross shape, with 50-foot-long corridors and 13-foot reinforced concrete walls. Construction began in December 1942, but the bunker was left incomplete when Mussolini was arrested on July 25, 1943, lacking crucial features such as watertight doors, final ventilation systems, and toilets.
Today, visitors can explore the bunkers and experience simulated overhead bombings through an immersive audio-visual display. The site offers archive images of Mussolini and his family at the villa, along with footage of the aftermath of Allied bombings in Rome. Visitors can also learn about the history and architecture of Villa Torlonia during World War II.
The ‘Rifugio e il Bunker’ can be visited as part of a guided tour of Villa Torlonia Museum and is open for individual tours on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are available online through Museo Villa Torlonia website or can be purchased in person at ticket offices located inside Casino Nobile building.
Visiting these secret underground shelters is not only a unique historical experience but also a chance to understand how people lived during this time period while experiencing their fear and uncertainty about what was happening around them
