I was stunned by Rome’s haunting ‘ghost town’ — the city that never was
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When you think of Rome, you picture the Colosseum, narrow alleyways, and crowds of tourists. But as I survey my surroundings on the Viale Europa, the streets are deserted, the landscape positively futuristic. Arriving at The Hilton Rome EUR La Lama, a skyscraper with sharp rectangular angles and glass lifts, only adds to my confusion.
Inside, the open-concept lobby boasts high ceilings and minimalist decor. ‘Yes, you’re in Rome,’ the woman at the check-in desk confirms as she hands me my keycard. The view from my room is a striking bird’s-eye view of a confusingly unfamiliar city. It turns out the Rome we know and love is just around the corner – 15 minutes away, within the city’s ancient walls.
But I’m in ‘New Rome’, a bizarre architectural vision of Italy’s infamous fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini. The bombastic prime minister, who is best remembered for aligning himself with Adolf Hitler, hoped to create a new city centre that would showcase Italy’s power, and celebrate 20 years of fascism.
![[The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in EUR district in Rome.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-1407909049.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=507)
There was to be new roads and neighbourhoods built of glass and steel, an enormous concrete arch, and a huge building complex known as the Esposizione Universale di Roma or EUR, which could be constructed on the southern outskirts of the capital. Mussolini planned for New Rome to host the 1942 World Fair, where he expected to be praised for his genius.
![[Dominique Hines moped]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/moped-b61c.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
