Villa Bettoni is a splendid and majestic Lombardian villa of the 18th century in the little town of Gargnano at the shore of Lake Garda.

During the Second Word War it was occupied and for few years became the seat of Council of Fascim.

18 important conferences took place here and in that villa Mussoloni proclaimed the Italian Social Republic, which, however, turned out to be nothing more than a puppet state of Adolf Hitler.

The dictator Mussolini and his girlfriend were excecuted in april 1945........

The Italian port city of Imepria is located on the Italian Riviera, between Nice and Genoa. The Romans founded a settlement at the site on top of the hill from which the village of San Maurizio later emerged. The area around the present city of Imperia was owned by various bishops and noble families after the Roman era and later belonged to the kingdom of Sardinia.

But actually the city of Imperia itself has not existed for very long because it was only in 1923 that the dictator Benito Mussolini decided that the rival villages of San Maurizio and Oneglia should become one city and named it after the Impero River that formed the dividing line between these two rival villages.

The 200-year-old 'Basilica di San Maurizio"is the second largest basilica in the Liguria region with a 48-meter-high dome.

The church is visible atop the hill where the Roman settlement was once located, standing up sternly against the blue sky........

The “Land of Levi” or at least the “Land that Levi Made Famous” pictured here early one morning in October wandering through the village trying to capture early morning light and shadow. Imagine being sentenced to live here as Carlo Levi was 80 years ago, he was a doctor, a painter, a writer and a very outspoken critic of fascism from the cosmopolitan city of Turin, the culture shock would have been massive.

The powers that be wanted Levi silenced instead they supplied him with experiences and material that created the modern Italian masterpiece “Christ Stopped in Eboli” though it would be almost a decade after time that the memoir would be published. The account details life in the poor Southern half of Italy during the 30’s painting a description of abject poverty and political indifference from the wealthy North that captured the conscience of a nation in the waning days of Mussolini’s fascism.

Aliano made a massive impression on Levi and he on the town both combined to make an interesting stop both for those that love strange scenery and those that love all things literary. Levi’s telling of the locals story gave new life to the village and attracts visitors from all over the world to see the inspiration for the novel, even Carlo after his death has become part of the attraction being buried in the local cemetery

I took this on Oct 3rd, 2018 with my D750 and Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 Lens at 40mm 1s f`11 ISO 100 processed in LR, PS +Lumenzia, Topaz , and DXO

Disclaimer: My style is a study of romantic realism as well as a work in progress

Beauty and Serenity in Val Fiscalina (South Tirol - Trentino AltoAdige Region - Italy)

Explored March 5, 2022

#sliderssunday

Laowa C-Dreamer 7.5mm F.2

💙💛🙏

Futuristic office complex "Linkstrasse 2/4" at the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. The building complex was designed by Italian-born British architect Richard Rogers (1933-2021) who was known for his modern, futuristic high-tech architecture. Among Rogers' best-known work are the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Lloyd's Building in London. Rogers' Jewish anchestors had moved from Sunderland to Italy in 1800. In 1938, Rogers' family returned to the UK because of the threat Mussolini's anti-Jewish laws imposed upon Rogers' Jewish father William Nino Rogers. In 1991, Rogers was knighted, and in 1996 he was created Baron Rogers of Riverside, of Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. He also was a Labour Peer in the House of Lords.

The "Linkstrasse 2/4" building complex is located somewhat "hidden" at the backside of the shopping mall "Potsdamer Platz Arkaden", facing the Tilla-Durieux-Park. Its very unique design that has always reminded me of a giant starship is, however, definitely worth a (photographic) visit.

I can't really tell you much about my processing steps here except that I had processed the image in ON1 Photo RAW. It's one of the images that has been waiting patiently (and fully processed) in my "Flickr waiting line" folder for quite some time.

Happy Sliders Sundays, Everyone!

Teilansicht des imposanten Bürokomplexes "Linkstraße 2/4" am Potsdamer Platz. Entworfen vom italo-britischen Architekten Richard Rogers (1933-2021), dessen Markenzeichen eine futuristisch-moderne High-Tech-Architektur war. Zu seinen wichtigsten Arbeiten zählen das Centre Pompidou in Paris und das Lloyd's Building in London. Rogers' Gebäude-Ensemble Linkstraße 2/4 befindet sich etwas versteckt auf der Rückseite der Potsdamer Platz Arkaden. Die sehr ungewöhnliche, futuristische Architektur, die mich immer an ein Raumschiff erinnert hat, ist aber auf jeden Fall einen Besuch mit der Kamera wert.

Rogers' Familie stammte ursprünglich aus Sunderland im Nordosten Englands. Vorfahren von Rogers waren um 1800 nach Venedig ausgewandert, Rogers selbst wurde 1933 in Florenz geboren. Im Jahr 1938 kehrte die Familie wegen der jüdischen Herkunft von Rogers' Vater und der Bedrohung durch die unter Mussolini erlassenen anti-jüdische Gesetze in das Vereinigte Königreich zurück. Im Jahr 1991 wurde Rogers als Knight Bachelor in den Adelsstand ("Sir") erhoben. 1996 wurde ihm als "Baron Rogers of Riverside, of Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea" auch die Würde eines "Life Peer" verliehen; er erhielt damit verbunden einen Sitz im House of Lords.

Dire situation in Ukraine…my heart goes out to them. I’ll just point out that dictators don’t have good life expectancy … Stalin, Mussolini, Hitler, Papa Doc all deep six now

Milan used to have an extensive canal system but Mussolini wasn't a fan so now there are only two left. The Naviglio Grande faces west so is a good place to watch the sunset and then stop by one of the many bars or restaurants to regain some energy.

The castle owes its fame, in addition to the beauty of the environment, to the many legends it gave rise to. According to one of them, Toblino would have been in the seventeenth century a place of pleasure for Claudia daughter of Ludovico, a native of Fossombrone, with Carlo Emanuele Madruzzo, prince bishop of Trento and last of the Madruzzo. As the supplications to the Pope were in vain to obtain the dissolution of the priestly vows, he would have abandoned himself to a sinful relationship with Claudia. This report was chosen by Benito Mussolini as theme of his historical novel "The lover of the cardinal, Claudia Particella", written in 1910.

A set of relatively recent legends created to stimulate the imagination of the visitors, quotes Carlo Emanuele as conspirator of the death of Claudia and his brother Vincenzo, both tragically drowned in the lake.

Another story tells of the contrasting love of Aliprando di Toblino with Ginevra. One night while Aliprando came home walking on a path, he was killed by Graziadeo di Castel Campo, his rival in love.

According to: it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_Toblino

Sometimes you just want to see where things go, what lies at the end of the road or up that alley, over the mountain around that bend and sometimes you just want to capture that thought. Some of my most favorite scenes while traveling though maybe not my most popular come from the absolute opposite direction that everyone else is looking.

Speaking of opposite directions during WWII the town was vocally anti-fascist making it a target for Mussolini’s death squads resulting in the assassination of its Mayor but the citizens were undeterred and continued their protests of Fascism and civil disobedience until the end of the war. After the fall of Fascism in Aug 1945 the townspeople began to exile the landowners tied to the failed regime and repatriate all lands seized by Mussolini’s operations

Ferrandina has lived through many occupations over the millennia and tolerated them only as far as justice was observed, finding its rebellious soul awakened when necessary if oppression reared its ugly head. Most of the time the city is a sleepy beautiful place perched above the Basimento river valley its small white houses nestled together in cozy peaceful scene just don’t wake the dragon.

I took this on Oct 6th, 2018 with my D750 and Nikon 28-300mm f3.5-5.6 Lens at 100mm 1/100s f`11 ISO 100 processed in LR, PS +Lumenzia, Topaz , and DXO

Disclaimer: My style is a study of romantic realism as well as a work in progress

you like it? klick here

Bildbearbeitung darf auch mal extrem sein :-)

Schon in der Zeit der Römischen Republik war der Platz ein wichtiger Verkehrsknotenpunkt, da hier die Via Flaminia auf die Porta Fontinalis in der Servianischen Mauer traf.[1] Im 15. Jahrhundert ließ der venezianische Kardinal Pietro Barbo, der spätere Papst Paul II., an der Westseite des Platzes seinen Palast errichten, der von 1567 bis 1797 die venezianische Botschaft beim Heiligen Stuhl war. 1660 wurde nördlich der Palazzo Misciatelli erbaut, der heute als Palazzo Bonaparte bekannt ist, da hier Laetitia Ramolino die Mutter von Napoléon Bonaparte ihren Altersruhesitz hatte.

Seine heutige Form erhielt der Platz als ab 1885 an seiner Südseite das Monumento Vittorio Emanuele II errichtet wurde, das heute noch die Piazza dominiert. Dafür wurde ein ganzes Stadtviertel, einschließlich des Klosters von Santa Maria in Aracoeli, abgerissen. Ab 1911 entstand auf der Ostseite der Bau der Assicurazioni Generali di Venezia, der Bauform und die Ausmaße des Palazzo Venezia aufnahm und so eine Symmetrie herstellte.

In der Zeit des Faschismus war der Palazzo Venezia Regierungssitz von Mussolini. Von seinem Balkon aus hielt der Diktator zahlreiche Ansprachen an das Volk auf dem Platz.

The Other Ligeia

"The Other Ligeia" is a photo project, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's short story "Ligeia", first published in 1838.

The story is told by an unnamed narrator who describes the qualities of Ligeia: a beautiful, passionate and intellectual woman, raven-haired and dark-eyed.

Ligeia becomes ill, struggles internally with human mortality, ultimately dies, and allegedly resurrects.

The shot was taken at Villa De Vecchi (Italian Governor of Rhodes between 1936-1940) which was built for Mussolini.

Agrigento in ancient times was called Akragas, and from 1927 Mussolini restored the name from the period of Roman Empire.

Akragas was founded in 582 BC by inhabitants of Gelai and the Greek colonists of Corinth and Rhodes.

The historical part is the Valley of the Temples with its most famous buildings (in fact it is a hill). In the 6th and 5th centuries BC seven monumental Greek temples in the Doric style were built here. The temple of Junona and Concordia has been preserved in the best condition. The oldest is the temple of Heracles, who was one of the most worshiped deities in the ancient Akragas.

This magnificent temple today consists of just eight columns that survived the original 38 after the earthquake.

-

Agrigento w starożytności nosiło nazwę Akragas, a od 1927 roku Mussolini przywrócił nazwę z okresu cesarstwa rzymskiego.

Akragas zostało założone w 582 p.n.e. przez mieszkańców Gelai oraz greckich kolonistów z Koryntu i Rodos.

Historyczną częścią jest Dolina Świątyń z jej najsłynniejszymi budowlami (w rzeczywistości jest to grzbiet). W VI i V wieku p.n.e. zbudowano tutaj siedem monumentalnych greckich świątyń w stylu doryckim. W najlepszym stanie zachowała się świątynia Junony i Concordia. Najstarszą jest świątynia Heraklesa, który był jednym z najbardziej czczonych bóstw w starożytnym Akragas.

Ta wspaniała świątynia składa się dzisiaj z zaledwie ośmiu kolumn, które ocalały z oryginalnych 38 po trzęsieniu ziemi.

Agrigento in ancient times was called Akragas, and from 1927 Mussolini restored the name from the period of Roman Empire.

Akragas was founded in 582 BC by inhabitants of Gelai and the Greek colonists of Corinth and Rhodes.

The historical part is the Valley of Temples with its most famous buildings (in fact it is hill). In the 6th and 5th centuries BC seven monumental Greek temples in the Doric style were built here.

The Temple of Junona is one of the best preserved temples in the Valle dei Templi. It was built in the years 450 and 440 BC, and already in 406 BC. it was destroyed by Carthaginians. In Greek times, she was dedicated to Hera, patron of marriages. It was rebuilt in the Roman Empire and up to the present day there are 30 columns.

-

Agrigento w starożytności nosiło nazwę Akragas, a od 1927 roku Mussolini przywrócił nazwę z okresu cesarstwa rzymskiego.

Akragas zostało założone w 582 p.n.e. przez mieszkańców Gelai oraz greckich kolonistów z Koryntu i Rodos.

Historyczną częścią jest Dolina Świątyń z jej najsłynniejszymi budowlami (w rzeczywistości jest to grzbiet). W VI i V wieku p.n.e. zbudowano tutaj siedem monumentalnych greckich świątyń w stylu doryckim.

Świątynia Junony należy do najlepiej zachowanych świątyń na obszarze Valle dei Templi. Zbudowano ją w latach 450 i 440 p.n.e., a już w 406 p.n.e. została zburzona przez Kartagińczyków. W czasach greckich poświęcona była Herze, patronce małżeństw. Odbudowano ją w czasach Cesarstwa Rzymskiego a do czasów współczesnych stoi 30 kolumn.

This beautiful pre-war Alfa Romeo 8C-35 is owned and raced by Peter Greenfield, and is a copy of chassis 50013 that he also owns. The original 50013 is the only fully complete and surviving Tipo 8C-35, hence the reason for Peter creating the cloned version using a chassis from Argentina, the transaxle from chassis #50012 and the engine from chassis #50015.

When launched in 1935, the car was managed by Scuderia Ferrari who had yet to field their own branded cars. Interestingly the 8C-35 was developed after Mussolini commissioned Alfa to build a car to compete against the highly competitive Mercedes-Benz and Audi teams that for years had had state sponsorship and funding.

The original chassis was left in a barn for 40 years after owner Dennis Poore retired the car from use. When the car came to auction in 2013, it sold for £5,937,500 making it at the time one of the most valuable pre-war Alfa Romeo's sold (it has since been eclipsed by the sale of the 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B in 2016 that sold for close to $20,000,000 at Sotheby's).

________________________________

Dave Adams Automotive Images

Lo cierto es que al contrario de lo que sucede con otras ciudades de la Costa Dálmata, como Zadar o Split, cuyos orígenes se remontan a tiempos de los Ilirios, la historia de Dubrovnik es bastante más reciente. Sólo hay que viajar hasta el siglo VII. Cuando parte de la población romanizada de Epidauro, en el sur de Grecia, huyó para refugiarse del avance de los ávaros y los eslavos y se instaló en la isla de Laus, en el Adriático, frente a las costas de la actual Dubrovnik. Y desde allí, gracias al comercio marítimo que establecieron, impulsaron la creación de la República de Ragusa.

Con la expansión de la República de Ragusa llegó la fundación de la aldea de Dubrovnik. Cuyo nombre procede del vocablo eslavo dubrava. O lo que es lo mismo: “bosque de robles”. Consecuencia de la abundancia de estos árboles en la zona. Y lo cierto es que no tardó en convertirse en la capital y la ciudad más importante de Dalmacia. Quedando además a partir del siglo XI bajo la protección del Imperio Bizantino. Y posteriormente controlada por la República de Venecia. Para, en 1358, ganar su independencia nuevamente como la República de Ragusa, aunque rindiendo pleitesía al rey de Hungría.

Esos años de libertad terminaron en 1808 cuando Napoleón tomó el control de la plaza y abolió la república. Después la ciudad quedó integrada en el Imperio Austrohúngaro. Para, tras la I Guerra Mundial, pasar a formar parte de Yugoslavia. A continuación ser invadida por la Italia de Mussolini durante la IIGM. Reintegrarse de nuevo en Yugoslavia. Y acabar perteneciendo a la Croacia independiente nacida tras la guerra de los Balcanes.

Antonio Francesco Gramsci (22 January 1891 – 27 April 1937) was an Italian Marxist philosopher, journalist, linguist, writer and politician. He wrote on philosophy, political theory, sociology, history and linguistics. He was a founding member and one-time leader of the Communist Party of Italy and was imprisoned by Benito Mussolini's Fascist regime.

Gramsci wrote more than 30 notebooks and 3,000 pages of history and analysis during his imprisonment. His Prison Notebooks are considered a highly original contribution to 20th-century political theory. Gramsci drew insights from varying sources – not only other Marxists but also thinkers such as Niccolò Machiavelli, Vilfredo Pareto, Georges Sorel and Benedetto Croce. The notebooks cover a wide range of topics, including Italian history and nationalism, the French Revolution, fascism, Taylorism and Fordism, civil society, folklore, religion and high and popular culture.

Gramsci is best known for his theory of cultural hegemony, which describes how the state and ruling capitalist class – the bourgeoisie – use cultural institutions to maintain power in capitalist societies. The bourgeoisie, in Gramsci's view, develops a hegemonic culture using ideology rather than violence, economic force, or coercion. Hegemonic culture propagates its own values and norms so that they become the "common sense" values of all and thus maintain the status quo. Cultural hegemony is therefore used to maintain consent to the capitalist order, rather than the use of force to maintain order. This cultural hegemony is produced and reproduced by the dominant class through the institutions that form the superstructure.

Gramsci also attempted to break from the economic determinism of traditional Marxist thought, and so is sometimes described as a neo-Marxist. He held a humanistic understanding of Marxism, seeing it as a "philosophy of praxis" and an "absolute historicism" that transcends traditional materialism and traditional idealism.

_______________________________________________

♫ Bella Ciao ♫

The song Bella Ciao is the song of the Italian resistance and partisans who fought against the fascist dictatorship of Mussolini and the occupation by Hitler's Nazi soldiers. It is the song of April 25th, the day Italy celebrates the liberation from Nazi fascism.

Who were the partisans?

The partisans were the Italian resistance against the fascist dictatorship and the Nazi occupation. Their help was crucial for the liberation of Italy by Anglo-American troops. The partisans were common people who armed themselves as best they could. They belonged to different political tendencies (communists, shareholders, monarchists, socialists, democrats, liberals, republicans, anarchists) gathered in the Committee for National Liberation (it. Comitato di Liberazione Nazionale). They hid mainly in the mountains and weakened the enemy with insurrections and sabotage, for example by damaging communication and transportation routes. Women also played an important role and were often the relay women, carrying information and messages.

_______________________________________________

Stamattina mi sono alzato,

Oh bella, ciao! Bella, ciao! Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao!

Stamattina mi sono alzato,

E ho trovato l’invasor.

Oh partigiano, portami via,

Oh bella, ciao! Bella, ciao! Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao!

Oh partigiano, portami via,

Ché mi sento di morir.

E se io muoio da partigiano,

Oh bella, ciao! Bella, ciao! Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao!

E se io muoio da partigiano, tu mi devi seppellir.

E seppellire lassù in montagna,

Oh bella, ciao! Bella, ciao! Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao!

E seppellire lassù in montagna,

Sotto l’ombra di un bel fior.

Tutte le genti che passeranno,

Oh bella, ciao! Bella, ciao! Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao!

Tutte le genti che passeranno,

Mi diranno «Che bel fior!»

«E questo è il fiore del partigiano»,

Oh bella, ciao! Bella, ciao! Bella, ciao, ciao, ciao!

«Questo è il fiore del partigiano,

Morto per la libertà!»

This morning I got up,

Oh beautiful, hello! Hello beautiful! Beautiful, bye, bye, bye!

This morning I got up,

And I found the invader.

Oh partisan, take me away,

Oh beautiful, hello! Hello beautiful! Beautiful, bye, bye, bye!

Oh partisan, take me away,

Because I feel like dying.

And if I die as a partisan,

Oh beautiful, hello! Hello beautiful! Beautiful, bye, bye, bye!

And if I die as a partisan, you have to bury me.

And bury up there in the mountains,

Oh beautiful, hello! Hello beautiful! Beautiful, bye, bye, bye!

And bury up there in the mountains,

Under the shade of a beautiful flower.

All the people who will pass,

Oh beautiful, hello! Hello beautiful! Beautiful, bye, bye, bye!

All the people who will pass,

They will say to me «What a beautiful flower!»

«And this is the flower of the partisan»,

Oh beautiful, hello! Hello beautiful! Beautiful, bye, bye, bye!

"This is the flower of the partisan,

Died for freedom!"

source

Chrysemys picta doing its best Mussolini pose

Ashridge Estate, Hertfordshire. Bridgewater was the man who generated the capital required for building the canal network in Britain. I find this building (1832) strangely interesting on architectural grounds. The enormous fluted (Greek-style) column is resting on a piece of brutalism that looks as if it was designed a hundred years later in Mussolini's Italy. Anyway, it is clear that architectural brutalism is not an invention of the 20th century. Maybe, it has always been a possibility. Fuji X-E3 plus pancake lens.

Agrigento in ancient times was called Akragas, and from 1927 Mussolini restored the name from the period of the Roman Empire.

Akragas was founded in 582 BC by the inhabitants of Gelai and the Greek colonists of Corinth and Rhodes.

The historic part is the Valley of the Temples with its most famous buildings;

- Hera Temple (Junony)

- Temple of Olympian Zeus

- Concordia Temple

The Temple of Concordia is one of the best preserved Greek temples in the world. It was built around 430 BC, and in 597 it was converted into a Catholic church. In 1743, the temple was incorporated into national monuments, the Christian additions were pulled down and the building was restored to its former glory. The name of the temple comes from 16th century and refers to the found inscription, which did not have to have a connection with the temple. Inside the sculpture is placed, which is also not related to its history.

-

Agrigento w starożytności nosiło nazwę Akragas, a od 1927 roku Mussolini przywrócił nazwę z okresu cesarstwa rzymskiego.

Akragas zostało założone w 582 p.n.e. przez mieszkańców Gelai oraz greckich kolonistów z Koryntu i Rodos.

Historyczną częścią jest Dolina Świątyń z jej najsłynniejszymi budowlami;

- świątynia Hery (Junony)

- świątynia Zeusa Olimpijskiego

- świątynia Concordii

Świątynia Concordii należy do najlepiej zachowanych świątyń greckich na świecie. Wybudowano ją około 430 roku p.n.e., w 597 zmieniono na katolicki kościół. W 1743 roku świątynia została włączona do zabytków narodowych, rozebrano chrześcijańskie dodatki i przywrócono budowli dawną świetność. Nazwa świątyni pochodzi z XVI wieku i nawiązuje do znalezionej inskrypcji, która nie musiała mieć związku ze świątynią. We wnętrzu umieszczono rzeźbę, która również nie jest związana z jej historią.

A shot of some Graffiti I saw in the city Last week

better on B l a c k M a g i c

rome, foro italico, mussolini's obelisk. this is part of a series of images of the foro italico, some more of which can be seen here

Porto Maurizio is one of the two towns that make up Imperia. Around 1200, the two towns, Porto Maurizio and Oneglia, were at war with each other. Since then, they have developed completely different cultures. Even the dialect language in the two towns is different. In 1923, Mussolini united the two cities into one, called "Imperia". This picture is from Porto Maurizio, the more rustic and picturesque part.

The mountain lake south of Dobbiaco, which is irrigated and drained by the Rienza, was formed a long time ago by rockfalls and is today one of the few sewage fields (wetlands) that still exist in the Alps. Five bunkers were built around it, with which Mussolini wanted to protect the access roads to Italy in 1939: The buildings belong to the so-called Alpine Wall in South Tyrol, a protective wall from the time of the 2nd World War. Today, the Lake Dobbiaco nature trail winds its way around the 4.5 km shoreline of the lake. In a leisurely two-hour hike, it leads past various information boards that provide information about the flora and fauna: The body of water is located between the Three Peaks Nature Park and the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park.

La estación Central de Milán (en italiano: Stazione di Milano Centrale) es una de las principales estaciones de ferrocarril de Europa. Es una terminal ferroviaria oficialmente inaugurada en 1931 para reemplazar la vieja Estación Central que había sido edificada en (1864), una estación de tránsito que no podía manejar el aumento del tráfico de pasajeros ocasionado por la apertura del Túnel de Sempione (1906).

Estación Central de Milán. Foto por Paolo Monti, 1969

El rey Víctor Manuel III de Italia colocó la piedra fundamental de la nueva estación el 28 de abril de 1906, incluso antes de que el proyecto para la estación hubiera sido definido. El concurso definitivo y oficial para su construcción fue ganado en 1912 por el arquitecto Ulisse Stacchini, cuyos diseños fueron modelados sobre la base de la Union Station de Washington, capital de los Estados Unidos de América, luego del cual la construcción de la nueva estación comenzó.

Debido a la crisis económica italiana durante la Primera Guerra Mundial, su construcción avanzó muy lentamente, y el proyecto, simple en un principio, fue cambiando constantemente y cada vez se volvía más complejo y majestuoso. Esto sucedió principalmente cuando Benito Mussolini se convirtió en Primer Ministro, y quiso que la estación representara el poder del régimen fascista.

Los cambios más importantes fueron el nuevo tipo de plataforma y la introducción de grandes cúpulas de acero por parte de Alberto Fava, de 341 metros de largo y cubriendo un área de 66,500 m².

Italia, Lazio, Roma, Primavera 2023

Il Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, o nel linguaggio quotidiano come il Colosseo Quadrato, è un edificio nel quartiere EUR a Roma, nel Lazio, in Italia. È stato progettato nel 1938 ed è un esempio di razionalismo italiano e architettura fascista con un design neoclassico, che rappresenta la romanità, una filosofia che racchiude passato, presente e futuro tutto in uno. L'enormità della struttura vuole riflettere il nuovo corso del regime fascista nella storia italiana. Il design dell'edificio trae ispirazione dal Colosseo con file di archi. Secondo la leggenda, i sei archi verticali e i nove archi orizzontali della struttura sono correlati al numero di lettere del nome del dittatore italiano Benito Mussolini.

The Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, or in everyday speech as the Colosseo Quadrato ("Square Colosseum"), is a building in the EUR district in Rome, Lazio, Italy.  It was designed in 1938 and it is an example of Italian Rationalism and fascist architecture with neoclassical design, representing romanità, a philosophy which encompasses the past, present, and future all in one. The enormity of the structure is meant to reflect the fascist regime's new course in Italian history. The design of the building draws inspiration from the Colosseum with rows of arches. According to legend, the structure's six vertical and nine horizontal arches are correlated to the number of letters in the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's name.

🇫🇷Toutes les villes du Tyrol du Sud était germanophones à 90% jusqu'en 1918. Le traité de St Germain en Laye(1919) attribue le Sud tyrol à l'italie.Avec Mussolini ,une italianisation sytématique du Sud Tyrol commence....l'enseignement scolaire en allemand est interdit,et les noms de lieux sont remplacés par des noms à consonnance italienne,la plupart inventés.En 1925, des écoles clandestines se créent avec un enseignement en italien....Un accord Hitler Mussolini accordent le choix pour les habitants entre nationalité allemande et émigration , ou italienne ....La seconde guerre mondiale freine l'exode, mais 75000 personnes opteront pour l'allemagne. Quand les allemands occupent l'italie, les jeunes sont enrôlés dans l'armée allemande(8000 de ces jeunes mourront durant la guerre).....Actuellement au Sud Tyrol , environ 70% parlent en allemand ,mais ce pourcentage est moins important dans les villes que dans les zones rurales.

🇩🇪 All the towns had a German name. 90% of South Tyrol was German speaking until 1918. The treaty of St Germain en Laye (1919) gave South Tyrol to Italy.with Mussolini, a systematic Italianisation of South Tyrol began.... school teaching in German was forbidden, and place names were replaced by Italian sounding names, most of them invented. In 1925, clandestine schools are created with teaching in Italian....An agreement between Hitler and Mussolini gives the inhabitants the choice between German nationality and emigration, or Italian .... The Second World War slows down the exodus, but 75,000 people will opt for Germany. When the Germans occupied Italy, young people were conscripted into the German army (8000 of these young people died during the war)..... Currently in South Tyrol, about 70% speak German, but this percentage is lower in the cities than in the rural areas.

🇮🇹 Tutte le città avevano un nome tedesco. Il 90% dell'Alto Adige era di lingua tedesca fino al 1918. Con il trattato di St. Germain en Laye (1919) l'Alto Adige fu ceduto all'Italia.Con Mussolini iniziò una sistematica italianizzazione dell'Alto Adige: fu vietato l'insegnamento scolastico in tedesco e i toponimi furono sostituiti con nomi dal suono italiano, per lo più inventati. Nel 1925 vengono create scuole clandestine con insegnamento in italiano....Un accordo tra Hitler e Mussolini dà agli abitanti la possibilità di scegliere tra la nazionalità tedesca e l'emigrazione, oppure quella italiana .... La Seconda guerra mondiale rallenta l'esodo, ma 75.000 persone opteranno per la Germania. Quando i tedeschi occuparono l'Italia, i giovani furono arruolati nell'esercito tedesco (8000 di questi giovani morirono durante la guerra)..... Attualmente in Alto Adige circa il 70% parla tedesco, ma questa percentuale è più bassa nelle città che nelle zone rurali.

🇬🇧 All the towns had a German name. 90% of South Tyrol was German speaking until 1918. The treaty of St Germain en Laye (1919) gave South Tyrol to Italy.with Mussolini, a systematic Italianisation of South Tyrol began.... school teaching in German was forbidden, and place names were replaced by Italian sounding names, most of them invented. In 1925, clandestine schools are created with teaching in Italian....An agreement between Hitler and Mussolini gives the inhabitants the choice between German nationality and emigration, or Italian .... The Second World War slows down the exodus, but 75,000 people will opt for Germany. When the Germans occupied Italy, young people were conscripted into the German army (8000 of these young people died during the war)..... Currently in South Tyrol, about 70% speak German, but this percentage is lower in the cities than in the rural areas.

🇪🇸 Todas las ciudades tenían un nombre alemán. El 90% del Tirol del Sur era de habla alemana hasta 1918. El tratado de St Germain en Laye (1919) entregó el Tirol del Sur a Italia.Con Mussolini, comenzó una italianización sistemática del Tirol del Sur.... se prohibió la enseñanza escolar en alemán, y los topónimos fueron sustituidos por nombres que suenan a italiano, la mayoría de ellos inventados. En 1925, se crean escuelas clandestinas con enseñanza en italiano..... Un acuerdo entre Hitler y Mussolini da a los habitantes la posibilidad de elegir entre la nacionalidad alemana y la emigración, o la italiana ..... La Segunda Guerra Mundial frena el éxodo, pero 75.000 personas optarán por Alemania. Cuando los alemanes ocuparon Italia, los jóvenes fueron reclutados por el ejército alemán (8000 de estos jóvenes murieron durante la guerra)..... Actualmente en el Tirol del Sur, cerca del 70% habla alemán, pero este porcentaje es menor en las ciudades que en las zonas rurales.

Beauty and Serenity in Val Fiscalina (South Tirol - Trentino AltoAdige Region - Italy)

We stay in Imperia on the Ligurian Riviera. Imperia is made up of the two completely different villages of Oneglia and Porto Maurizio, which Mussolini merged in 1923. Hence the name "Imperia". This house entrance is located in the winding Porto Maurizio.

La estatua del emperador César Augusto, copia en bronce del famoso Augusto de Prima Porta, fue donada por el Gobierno Italiano a la ciudad de Zaragoza en los años 40 del siglo pasado. Fue un regalo de Mussolini a la ciudad. Nos muestra al emperador en trance de arengar a las tropas, descalzo, con traje militar de gala, túnica, coraza y paludamento, la capa recogida en el antebrazo izquierdo.

Para observar más detalles, sobre todo de la estatua, recomiendo verla ampliada.

Scattavo e ascoltavo.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJVZr12zfPo

Antonio Francesco Gramsci (22 January 1891 – 27 April 1937) was an Italian Marxist philosopher, journalist, linguist, writer and politician. He wrote on philosophy, political theory, sociology, history and linguistics. He was a founding member and one-time leader of the Communist Party of Italy and was imprisoned by Benito Mussolini's Fascist regime.

Gramsci wrote more than 30 notebooks and 3,000 pages of history and analysis during his imprisonment. His Prison Notebooks are considered a highly original contribution to 20th-century political theory. Gramsci drew insights from varying sources – not only other Marxists but also thinkers such as Niccolò Machiavelli, Vilfredo Pareto, Georges Sorel and Benedetto Croce. The notebooks cover a wide range of topics, including Italian history and nationalism, the French Revolution, fascism, Taylorism and Fordism, civil society, folklore, religion and high and popular culture.

Gramsci is best known for his theory of cultural hegemony, which describes how the state and ruling capitalist class – the bourgeoisie – use cultural institutions to maintain power in capitalist societies. The bourgeoisie, in Gramsci's view, develops a hegemonic culture using ideology rather than violence, economic force, or coercion. Hegemonic culture propagates its own values and norms so that they become the "common sense" values of all and thus maintain the status quo. Cultural hegemony is therefore used to maintain consent to the capitalist order, rather than the use of force to maintain order. This cultural hegemony is produced and reproduced by the dominant class through the institutions that form the superstructure.

Gramsci also attempted to break from the economic determinism of traditional Marxist thought, and so is sometimes described as a neo-Marxist. He held a humanistic understanding of Marxism, seeing it as a "philosophy of praxis" and an "absolute historicism" that transcends traditional materialism and traditional idealism.

Italia, Piemonte, Torino, Estate 2019

Con una splendida facciata, questo era un tempo il cinema più grande di Torino. Si trova nella piccola galleria commerciale San Federico 33 nel centro del paese. Inaugurato come Cinematografo Reale nel 1913, fu ristrutturato nel 1934 come Cinema Rex, la capienza era prevista per 800 posti nella platea dell'orchestra e 700 nella balconata. Successivamente è stato ribattezzato Cinema Dux (il soprannome di Mussolini), poi dopo la seconda guerra mondiale, è stato ribattezzato Cinema Lux.

With a stunning facade, this was once Turin’s largest cinema. It is situated in the small shopping Galleria San Federico 33 in the town’s centre. Opened as the Cinematografo Reale in 1913, it was remodelled in 1934 as the Cinema Rex, the seating capacity was provided for 800 in the orchestra stalls and 700 in the balcony. It was later re-named Cinema Dux (the nickname of Mussolini), then after World War II, it was re-named Cinema Lux.

About the 1950 Cisitalia 202 SC Coupe

Italian preeminence in GT styling started here. The Cisitalia coupe created by Battista “Pinin” Farina opened a new school of body design. (however, this one above was one of three custom bodied by Vignale) Pupils on both sides of the Atlantic enrolled. The inspiration for an entire generation of sporting cars, this landmark design personifies the automobile as sculpture.

Consorzio Industriale Sportivo Italia–acronym, Cisitalia–had been established in the thirties by Piero Dusio for the manufacture of sport clothes, tennis rackets and bicycles. In 1939, an exclusive contract for manufacture of all uniforms for Mussolini’s army netted Dusio a tidy fortune. Impatiently he awaited the end of the war to invest it. His next fortune, he was convinced, would be made as an automobile manufacturer.

An ardent amateur driver, Dusio tackled a racecar first, with the considerable help of Fiat designer Dante Giacosa, engineer/driver Piero Taruffi and the legendary Tazio Nuvolari. The Coppa Brezzi in September 1946 saw seven of the brand-new 1100 cc Fiat-derived Cisitalia monopostos on the starting line, a one-two-three Cisitalia finish, and the new marque an overnight sensation. The FIA’s creation of Formula II in 1948 is widely regarded to have been Cisitalia inspired.

The wild success of his first Cisitalia inspired Dusio in two diverse directions. First, because it had performed so nobly in the monoposto, the little 67-cubic-inch Fiat engine might do nicely in a sports car too, provided it wasn’t unnecessarily burdened. Never before was the cause of aerodynamics better served aesthetically. Pinin Farina (his name would be legally made one word in 1961) created a masterpiece. As fast (the Special Sport could top 100 mph) as it was good to look at, the Cisitalia coupe handled like a thoroughbred. Even with a price tag well above $5000, this car had success written all over it. Convertible and roadster versions were available for the open-air-types.

Dusio’s second inspiration was his undoing. The Porsche-designed Grand Prix Cisitalia was as startlingly innovative technically as Pinin Farina’s coupe was in body design. But Dusio’s money ran out mid-development. The GP Cisitalia never raced. The Pinin Farina Cisitalia coupe was consigned to history after few more than 100 had been built. Remnants of Cisitalia were handed over to employee Carlo Abarth.

"Those I prefer are the ones who work, hard, dry, in obedience and possibly in silence"

Benito Mussolini 1926

On a wall in the former paper mill in Pratola Serra, Avellino (Italy)

During WWII in the invasion of Italy many allied nations joined in and fought to liberate Italy from Mussolini's fascist government and soon Nazi Germany.

Here you see Canadians fighting the German Fallschrimjagers.

What started out as a small side project became this. So as many of you can tell my photo situation has changed due to my dining room table and decorations being sold. The table tops i've used had to go with it. On the plus side my now open dining room is great for pictures. Credit for the roof goes to Elliot.

Cheers guys. Ill have more uploads soon

-Hunter

Ashridge Estate, Hertfordshire. Bridgewater was the man who generated the capital required for building the canal network in Britain. I find this building strangely interesting on architectural grounds. The enormous fluted (Greek-style) column is resting on a piece of brutalism that looks as if it was designed a hundred years later in Mussolini's Italy. Fuji X-Pro1.

The Studebaker Dictator was an automobile produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana from 1927-1937. The name was intended to connote that the model "dictated the standard" that other automobile makes would be obliged to follow. At the time, the only dictator that would have immediately come to an American mind was Benito Mussolini, whose popular image was one of audacity and strength, in spite of well-publicized fascist violence. However, the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany tainted the word 'dictator'. Studebaker abruptly discontinued the name 'Dictator' in 1937.

Follow on Instagram @dpsager

Petrified Forest National Park

Holbrook, Arizona

Dec 2016

The mountain lake south of Dobbiaco, which is irrigated and drained by the Rienza, was formed a long time ago by rockfalls and is today one of the few sewage fields (wetlands) that still exist in the Alps. Five bunkers were built around it, with which Mussolini wanted to protect the access roads to Italy in 1939: The buildings belong to the so-called Alpine Wall in South Tyrol, a protective wall from the time of the 2nd World War. Today, the Lake Dobbiaco nature trail winds its way around the 4.5 km shoreline of the lake. In a leisurely two-hour hike, it leads past various information boards that provide information about the flora and fauna: The body of water is located between the Three Peaks Nature Park and the Fanes-Sennes-Braies Nature Park.

Found in a huge abandoned industrial complex in Italy. In former times cloth was made here.

♫ Living Color - Cult Of Personality ♫

Look in my eyes, what do you see?

The cult of personality

I know your anger, I know your dreams

I've been everything you wanna be

I'm the cult of personality

Like Mussolini and Kennedy

I'm the cult of personality

The cult of personality

The cult of personality

(From my own archived photos, 2024)

On January 24, 1940, dictator Adolf Hitler gave dictator Francisco Franco a Mercedes Benz 540 G4 W31 car for his birthday, which was delivered by the then ambassador of the Third Reich in Spain, Eberhard von Stohrer, at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

The Führer had two of these models, and a fourth model was given to dictator Benito Mussolini.

With an eight-cylinder in-line engine, 5.4 liters and 115 horsepower, it was capable of moving its 3,840 kg. at a top speed of 67 km/h. With a consumption of 38 litres per 100 km in the city and ten litres less on the highway, with a 98 litre tank, two electric fuel pumps and one mechanical one

However, this Mercedes was not a pure off-roader.

Its four rear wheels propelled the car, but its front axle was not driven.

Even so, equipped with a gearbox with a reduction gear, two rigid rear axles, off-road tyres and a good height, it was really capable of going well off the asphalt.

Its braking system was hydraulic, with servo-assistance on the three axles of the vehicle.

The vehicle was equipped with a set of custom-made chains and six suitcases signed by Karl Baisch.

Franco was not completely convinced by this model, since due to a breakdown, the dictator, who had returned from a hunting trip, had to return to the palace in a Willys Jeep belonging to his personal guard.

However, the change in the Second World War and the defeat of the Third Reich led the Spanish Government to not use this and other vehicles due to the political connotations they entailed.

Mercedes, for its Stuttgart museum, offered the then enormous sum of 1,000 million pesetas for Franco's Mercedes, which at current exchange rates and inflation, we could be talking about more than seven million euros (or US dollars).

DISMANTLED PIECE BY PIECE: A few years later, already in the 21st century, Patrimonio Nacional accepted Mercedes' offer to overhaul the G4, despite the mechanics of the Royal Guard, who take care of it, as well as the rest of the fleet of official vehicles, manufacturing themselves parts for which there were no spare parts.

In the Mercedes workshops, the jewel was dismantled piece by piece in Stuttgart and for three years the German technicians drew the blueprint of the car and, took advantage of the opportunity to faithfully repair the only one of the lower series cars that is exhibited in their museum. (Source: Wikipedia and other websites).

(es.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mercedes-Benz_W_31_with_Hitler...)

UN MERCEDES MUY ESPECIAL, 2024

(De mis propias fotos archivadas, 2024)

El 24 de enero de 1940 el dictador Adolf Hitler le regaló al dictador Francisco Franco por su cumpleaños un coche Mercedes Benz 540 G4 W31, que lo entregó el entonces embajador del III Reich en España, Eberhard von Stohrer, en el Palacio de Oriente de Madrid.

El Führer tenía dos de estos modelos, y un cuarto modelo le fue regalado al dictador Benito Mussolini.

Con un motor de ocho cilindros en línea, 5,4 litros y 115 caballos de potencia, era capaz de mover sus 3.840 kg. a una velocidad punta de 67 km/h. con un consumo de 38 litros a los 100 km en ciudad y diez litros menos por carretera, contando con un depósito de 98 litros, con dos bombas eléctricas de combustible y una mecánica

Sin embargo este Mercedes no era un todoterreno puro.

Sus cuatro ruedas traseras impulsaban al coche, pero su eje delantero no era motriz.

Aún así, dotado de una caja de cambios con reductora, dos ejes rígidos traseros, neumáticos todoterreno y una buena altura, era realmente capaz de marchar bien por fuera del asfalto.

Su equipo de frenado era hidráulico, con servo-asistencia en los tres ejes del vehículo.

El vehículo iba equipado con un juego de cadenas hechas a medida y seis maletas firmadas por Karl Baisch.

A Franco no le acabó de convencer este modelo, ya que debido a una avería, el dictador, que venía de una jornada de caza, tuvo que volver al palacio en un Jeep Willys de su guardia personal.

Sin embargo el cambio de signo de la Segunda Guerra Mundial y la derrota del Tercer Reich llevaron al Gobierno español a no utilizar este y otros vehículos por los connotaciones políticas que conllevaban.

La casa Mercedes, para su museo de Stuttgart, ofreció la entonces enorme cantidad de 1.000 millones de pesetas por el Mercedes de Franco, que al cambio e inflacción actuales, podríamos estar hablando de más de siete millones de euros (o dólares USA).

DESMONTADO PIEZA A PIEZA: Unos años más tarde, ya en el siglo XXI, Patrimonio Nacional aceptó el ofrecimiento de Mercedes de revisar el G4, a pesar de los mecánicos de la Guardia Real, que cuidan de él, así como del resto de la flota de vehículos oficiales, fabricando ellos mismos piezas de las que no había repuesto.

En los talleres de Mercedes, la joya fue desmontada pieza a pieza en Stuttgart y durante tres años los técnicos alemanes dibujaron el plano del coche y, aprovecharon para reparar con fidelidad el único de los automóviles de la serie inferior que se exhibe en su museo. (Fuente: Wikipedia y otras webs).

(es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:Mercedes-Benz_W_31_with_Hit...)

Look in my eyes, what do you see?

The cult of personality

I know your anger, I know your dreams

I've been everything you want to be

I'm the cult of personality

Like Mussolini and Kennedy

I'm the cult of personality

The cult of personality

The cult of personality

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

youtu.be/7xxgRUyzgs0

Milan Train Station

Actual colors.

19-January-2025

Rabac was a very small fishing village located at the foot of the old town of Labin (Albona in Italian).

Called Rabaz (italic toponym, same pronunciation) during the long Venetian and then Italian administration (also called "Porto Albona", that's "Labin's Port", in the Mussolini's "grandeur era"), this village, after the Second World War, under the Yugoslavian administration, also became a tourist resort.

More recently, with the Croatian administration, it grew further and a lot to become, together with the historic destinations of Poreč (PU) and Opatija (RI), the third leading tourist town of the Istrian peninsula.

The deep and transparent water of the Kvarner silently enters this bay that, sheltered from the Bora winds, offers refreshment not only to man, but also to a lot of marine fauna, with a notable diffusion of the highly prized Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) a very cunning predator, easy to see here, difficult to catch.

"The enormity of the structure is meant to reflect the fascist regime's new course in Italian history. The design of the building draws inspiration from the Colosseum with rows of arches. According to legend, the structure's six vertical and nine horizontal arches are correlated to the number of letters in the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's name." - from Wikipedia

I have on briefly visited Sicily the once back in 2012 on a Mediterranean cruise. This time we head back for a longer exploration of the island. By way of a reminder for myself here is a view taken in the city of Messina. It is interesting to note that in 1908 Messina was the centre of Europe’s largest known earthquake. The whole city was demolished by a magnitude 7.1 quake and a 40 foot high tsunami. After a while of dereliction Benito Mussolini arranged for the city to be rebuilt. This was a show of what the still nee country of Italy could do under the guidance of their new leader.

in this case, to just above a particularly dirty spot on the monument. rome, foro italico, obelisk