Villa Torlonia, the grand estate of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini in Rome, was home to a series of secret underground bunkers built during World War II. These three bunkers were strategically positioned to protect Mussolini and his family from Allied bombing.

The first two bunkers were constructed in 1940 and 1942, respectively. The first one was built in Mussolini’s wine cellar under the Villa’s Lake, while the second one was an underground basement bunker located in the Casino Nobile building on the property. Both structures were heavily fortified with four feet of reinforced concrete, anti-gas doors, and an air purification system.

However, construction on the third and final bunker was left unfinished when Mussolini was arrested on July 25, 1943. This armored bunker was designed to be located 20 feet underground in front of the Casino Nobile and was built in a cross shape with 50-foot-long corridors and 13-foot reinforced concrete walls.

Today, visitors can explore these historic underground shelters through a guided tour at Villa Torlonia Museum. The ‘Rifugio e il Bunker’ can be visited as part of this tour and provides an immersive audio-visual display that simulates overhead bombings. Visitors can also view archive images of Mussolini and his family at the villa and footage of the aftermath of Allied bombings in Rome.

The museum is open for individual tours, including English tours on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are available online through the Museo Villa Torlonia website or can be purchased in person at the ticket offices in the Casino Nobile building.