Esposizione Universale Roma

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Palazzo dei Congressi

The Esposizione Universale Roma (E.U.R.) is a large complex,now a suburban area and business center, built in 1935 by Benito Mussolini as symbol of fascism for the world; he wanted to expand the new Rome in the west, to connect it to the sea. The E.U.R. district was originally conceived for the 1942 world exhibition, and was called "E.42" ("Esposizione 42"). However the world exhibition never took place due to Italy's entrance into World War II in 1940.

The E.U.R. provides a large-scale image of how urban Italy might have looked if the fascist regime had not fallen during the war; large, symmetrical streets and austere buildings of either stile Littorio, inspired by ancient Roman architecture, or Rationalism, built in the traditional limestone, tuff and marble.

Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana

The most representative building of the Fascist style at E.U.R. is the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana (1938-1943), the iconic design of which has been labeled the cubic or Square Colosseum.

After the war, the Roman authorities found that they already had a germ of an off-centre business district that other capitals were still planning (London Docklands and La Defense in Paris).

During the 1950s and 1960s, old buildings were completed, and other new buildings were constructed in similar styles - housing offices, ministries, large gardens and grand parks. Many Italians consider EUR sterile and lacking in character, but many expatriates from North America choose to live in EUR because it is convenient to the old city while having newer buildings and infrastructure.

Other attractions include the Museum of Roman Civilization and the sports arena Palazetto dello Sport, designed by Pier Luigi Nervi, used in the Olympic Games of 1960.

It was also portrayed as the headquarters of Mayflower Industries in the 1991 movie Hudson Hawk and served as a backdrop for scenes from the 1999 film adaptation of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus.

Eur is also a place that is famous for its crime and for public brawls between local fascist and communist groups and other local gangs. The region next to Palazetto dello Sport has security cameras to deter prostitution and vandalism. Graffiti has been a recent problem.