The Monument as an instrument of national identity

The Italian case

Abstract

^{Between 1860 and 1950 Italian architecture had the task of building the modern image of a}

^{young nation. Politics asked to architects to convey, through their work, identity messages}

^{to the collectivity. This process was particularly present during the period of fascism (1922-}

^{1943), at the disposal of the government of Benito Mussolini. Through strong messages deeply rooted to the ancient Roman tradition, fascism sought to restore a national identity that}

^{would guarantee the duration of the regime. The fundamental elements on which}

^{constituted this identity were the memorial monuments, places where the mass of}

^{the people feels the need to recognize each other to express the cult of the homeland.}

^{The article analyzes several monuments, from the construction of the Vittoriano by Giuseppe}

^{Sacconi, to the Ardeatine monument of the Fiorentino-Perugini group: a historical evolution}

^{that is deeply linked to the piety of the Italian people.}