Casa del Fascio

A casa del Fascio, casa Littoria, or casa del Littorio (Italian pronunciation: [ˈkaːza del ˈfaʃʃo]) was a building housing the local branch of the National Fascist Party and later the Republican Fascist Party under the regime of Italian Fascism, in Italy and its colonies. In major urban centers, it was called the palazzo del Littorio or palazzo Littorio. Littorio means lictor, the bearer of the fasces lictorii, the symbol of Roman power adopted by the Fascist party.

History

There were about 11,000 case del Fascio in all. Around 5,000 buildings were constructed specifically as case del Fascio. Many of them were designed by Italian rationalist architects including Adalberto Libera, Saverio Muratori, Ludovico Quaroni, Giuseppe Samonà, and Giuseppe Terragni, but there were also historicist and modern architects.

The Case del Fascio became one of the central points of the new cities and new towns founded under the regime, along with the church and the town hall.

In smaller towns, existing buildings were bought or rented, sometimes unmodified, sometimes specially adapted.

Casa del Fascio (Como)

The Casa del Fascio of Como (Italian pronunciation: [ˈkaːza del ˈfaʃʃo]), also called the Palazzo Terragni, is a building located in Como, northern Italy, a work of Italian rationalist architect Giuseppe Terragni.

Started in 1932 and completed in 1936 under the regime of Benito Mussolini as the seat of the local branch of the National Fascist Party, a Casa del Fascio, this municipal administration building was originally constructed with a primary view of functioning as an elegant "set piece" for mass Fascist rallies. Conceptualized as a classical palazzo centered on a glass atrium, it was frescoed with abstract paintings (since destroyed) by the artist Mario Radice and the original project boasted an innovative changing facade illumination. It is cited as an exemplary manifestation of the International style of architecture.

Since 1957, the building has housed the provincial headquarters of the Guardia di Finanza police force. In addition, it accommodates the small historical museum of the Guardia di Finanza 6th legion.