Villa Mussolini
Seaside villa in Riccione, Italy / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Villa Mussolini is a seaside villa in Riccione, in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy.
Villa Mussolini | |
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Villa Mussolini | |
Former names |
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Etymology | Benito Mussolini |
General information | |
Status | Completed |
Address | Viale Milano 31 |
Town or city | Riccione, Emilia-Romagna |
Country | Italy |
Coordinates | 44°0′12.50″N 12°39′36.01″E |
Current tenants | Municipality of Riccione |
Named for | Benito Mussolini |
Completed | 1892 |
Renovated | 1940, 2005 |
Owner | Banca Carim |
Technical details | |
Floor count | 3 |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Ferdinando Mancini |
Known for | Summer holiday home of the Mussolinis |
Other information | |
Public transit access |
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Built in 1892,[1] the original two-storey villa had thirteen rooms and a side-turret on its south side.[1][2][3] In 1934, it was purchased by Rachele Guidi, second wife of Benito Mussolini, Italy's fascist dictator. The Mussolinis used it as a summer holiday home,[4] and expanded the property in 1940, adding an additional floor.[5] During his stays, Mussolini would conduct government business from the villa and host notable guests and foreign dignitaries.[3][5][6]
In 1997, the villa – by then called Villa Margherita – was purchased by the Cassa di Risparmio di Rimini, who loaned it to Riccione's municipal government.[5][6][7][8] After a one-million-euro restoration,[8][9] the villa reopened as Villa Mussolini in 2005. It hosts cultural events and exhibitions,[3][8][10] as well as civil wedding ceremonies.[11] The villa's name and use continues to attract local controversy.[9][10][12][13]