Predappio
Encyclopedia
Predappio is a town
and comune
in the province of Forlì-Cesena, in the region of Emilia-Romagna
in Italy
, with a population of 6,362. The town is best known for being the birthplace of Benito Mussolini
, dictator
of Italy from 1922 to 1943. Mussolini is also buried at Predappio, and his mausoleum
is a local tourist destination, as well as a site of pilgrimage
for Italian neo-Fascists. In April 2009, the town council banned the sale of fascist souvenirs. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/5165070/Mussolinis-hometown-finally-bans-fascist-souvenirs.html
, until the 1920s Predappio was a country town of modest size, situated on the hills of Forlì. Augustus
divided Italy into eleven provinces and Predappio was within the sixth province. It is believed that the town name derives from the installation in those locations of an ancient Roman family: the Appi. The town was so named Praesidium Domains Appi and abbreviated to Pre.DiAppi.
Historically the town developed around the medieval castle, looking down the valley. Along the valley, about 2 km from Predappio, the town was known as Dovia (probably a corruption of the local Roman Road
Duo Via).
Benito Mussolini
was born here and after 1927, seizing the opportunity provided by a landslide that hit Predappio and had left many people homeless, it was decided to build a bigger more prestigious township. The new town was built following the architectural dictates of the emerging new Fascist
regime to celebrate the birthplace of Mussolini and became, along with the nearby Forlì
, la Città del Duce (the City of the Duce): a pilgrimage of the Fascists and more lately neo-Fascists.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the province of Forlì-Cesena, in the region of Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia–Romagna is an administrative region of Northern Italy comprising the two historic regions of Emilia and Romagna. The capital is Bologna; it has an area of and about 4.4 million inhabitants....
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, with a population of 6,362. The town is best known for being the birthplace of Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
, dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
of Italy from 1922 to 1943. Mussolini is also buried at Predappio, and his mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
is a local tourist destination, as well as a site of pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
for Italian neo-Fascists. In April 2009, the town council banned the sale of fascist souvenirs. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/5165070/Mussolinis-hometown-finally-bans-fascist-souvenirs.html
History
From its origins, probably RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, until the 1920s Predappio was a country town of modest size, situated on the hills of Forlì. Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
divided Italy into eleven provinces and Predappio was within the sixth province. It is believed that the town name derives from the installation in those locations of an ancient Roman family: the Appi. The town was so named Praesidium Domains Appi and abbreviated to Pre.DiAppi.
Historically the town developed around the medieval castle, looking down the valley. Along the valley, about 2 km from Predappio, the town was known as Dovia (probably a corruption of the local Roman Road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
Duo Via).
Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
was born here and after 1927, seizing the opportunity provided by a landslide that hit Predappio and had left many people homeless, it was decided to build a bigger more prestigious township. The new town was built following the architectural dictates of the emerging new Fascist
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
regime to celebrate the birthplace of Mussolini and became, along with the nearby Forlì
Forlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
, la Città del Duce (the City of the Duce): a pilgrimage of the Fascists and more lately neo-Fascists.