Italiano
It was designed in 1934 by Giuseppe Boni, San Luca academic and vice secretary of the National Fascist Architects Trade Union.
Benito Mussolini strongly wanted this building: he was present at the first stone ceremony and at the inauguration of the building (on November 4th 1936).
The Naval College was originally built to give a school education to those children who were orphans due tragedies at sea.
Its design is clearly typical of a military academy: it has a long building facing the road and then there are two orthogonal blocks.
On the back are two lower sectors which close the fourth side: the internal courtyard, enclosed in the structure, was used for the musters.
The Naval College was dominated by a 75 mt high tower which hosted the observatory and the infirmary but it was destroyed in 1943 by the German troops because it could have been used as a reference point during an allied landing in Ostia.
The entrance has a square portico at the end of a staircase with two colossal statues on the left and on the right. These statues represent Physical Education, by Giuseppe Tonnini, and Intellectual Education, by Sergio Vatteroni.
The inside still displays some splendid paintings by Lorenzo Viani, representing marine views.
The big dimensions of the complex allowed the building to be inserted in the pine forest: there are other smaller buildings there, allocated to the various activities on the College (a chapel and the head teacher and vice head teacher’s lodgings). The chapel has been dedicated to St. Nicola and is used now as a parish church.
Currently, since 1977, the College hosts the Guardia di Finanza Non Commissioned Officer’s School.
Via delle Fiamme Gialle, 14
