E.U.R. (Esposizione Universale di Roma) is an urban and architectural complex, conceived in the 1930s for the Universal Exposition which was going to be held in 1942. EUR was the brainchild of Benito Mussolini and it is home to some examples of monumental architecture that coexist alongside the modern buildings that were constructed in the decades that followed.

According to fascist ideology, it was inspired by Ancient Roman city planning; this gave the complex some elements of Italian Rationalism, such as the majestic and powerful architectonic buildings, typically heavy and square and mostly built with white marble and travertino, in memory of the temples and buildings of Imperial Rome.

EUR is full of exquisite monumental constructions, the most famous being the Palazzo dei Ricevimenti e Congressi, the Palazzo dello Sport and the Palazzo Della Civiltà Italiana. This last one in particular is one of the symbols of EUR and can be seen in the Roman skyline. It is also known as the “Square Colosseum” since it was inspired by the iconic ancient building itself. It is in fact characterized by a similar sequence of arches. There are 28 statues below the colonnade on the ground floor, one for each arch, that stand for various arts and crafts.

Eur is currently the most modern area in the city. It is here that you can also admire the tallest buildings in the city, such as the Eurosky Tower and the Europark Tower and visit the vast area dedicated to museums, an artificial lake surrounded by a park, a new Conference Centre designed by Massimiliano Fuksas and an aquarium built just below the lake.