A case, maybe just a true need to have an airport in his own town, but Mussolini really began the aviation tradition of Forlì.
The Airport, now unfortunately closed (sometimes it is hard to understand Italian things even for an Italian!), was built in 1935 and one year later was used to test the airplanes built in the Caproni plants in Predappio (we visited the town in the third day of a trip), 20 kilometers far from Forlì. After the Second World War and a period without any activity, the airport became a commercial departure.
The rationalist architecture and the myth of Icaro
The school of aviation was one of the most important of Italy: since 1938 children and youngs who wanted to study aeronautic engineering, lived here. More than 400 people used to live in the building, which had everything kids needed to be formed in the right way.
The building, now a middle high school (dedicated to Palmezzano, a very important middle age painter), had a squared shape. In the middle a courtyard, as in many ancient roman villas. All around, inside the building the history and the Italian victories told through black and white mosaics as the Ostia roman villas. A masterwork of local artisans (the near town of Ravenna has the most ancient mosaics’ tradition) still well kept.
The school is still open and we were lucky to have the permission to enter and listen to Elisa, our guide, explaining all the details. What astonished me is that children attending the school are living in this artistic atmosphere everyday of their life. I wish I could have been so lucky when I was a child!
Outside the school the Icaro statue looks at the Victory Square with his hands bound in the back, trying to fly. Thanks to the Fondo per la Cultura, the statue was completely restored. We saw it with Paolo De Lorenzi, the president of the Fondo who explained us the history and also the works done to restore. To visit tha Rationalist itinerary in Forlì, please contact the Fondo per la Cultura or else me directly, I will support in your visit:)
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