A PERMANENT EXHIBITION WITHIN THE MONUMENT TO VICTORY

THE FOUR CORNER ROOMS

  • The four corner rooms contain an outline of the Monument to Victory, in the form of an M, whose structure and stability gradually diminishes. These corner rooms are dedicated to reflection and gaining further insights from the exhibition.

    Room 1

    What is a monument?

    Monuments have served different functions in the history of human civilization. They were mostly found in places which had religious significance, were the sites of great battles, memorials to kings, founding fathers or charismatic figures. Initially they were used chiefly by powerful and victorious leaders, to consign their fame to posterity. In modern times, monuments have been increasingly regulated by democratic principles, with debates over their location, legitimacy and significance.

    Room 2

    The Monument’s ABC

    The Monument to Victory is comprised of many elements. Created by numerous artists, it is best thought of as a composite work. The ABC of the monument begins with the crypt frescoes by Guido Cadorin and finishes with Adolfo Wildt´s three herms found under the architrave. Open each small door marked with a letter to find out more about the various parts of the monument.

  • Room 3

    The architect Marcello Piacentini

    The architect of the Monument to Victory, Marcello Piacentini (Rome 1881–1960), was one of the most important figures on the Italian architectural scene in the first half of the twentieth century. He is remembered for the numerous urban and architectural projects he undertook during the twenty years of Fascism and beyond. His work drew inspiration from many different ideological and cultural sources, both nationally and internationally. However his work remains the typical expression of Mussolini’s regime and the Fascist period.

    Room 4

    But it does move …

    Some monuments slip into oblivion. Others remain at the centre of dispute, becoming the focus of questions over the political and cultural identity of a society, both now and in the future. This is the case with the Monument to Victory, erected by the Fascist regime to celebrate itself. The last exhibition room of BZ '18–'45 is dedicated to public participation. It is a space for critical reflection on the past, which serves to imagine the possibilities for the present and the future for the city, the region and the World.