Between 1935 and 1939 a complete renovation of a part of the old town centre was completed, leading to the creation of a new square, later named after John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
This was the setting for the headquarters of the National Association of War Invalids. In full Fascist style, a hall of honour was opened on the first floor (now the Sala dei Mosaici), of great architectural and decorative value, in which, between 1940 and 1941, mosaic panels were placed to pay homage to the First World War, to the warrior spirit of the Regime, to underline the continuity between the Roman Empire and Fascism, and to glorify the wars fought by Mussolini’s army in Africa (1935-1936) and Spain (1936-1939).
The mosaics in the room are works of undeniable artistic value, created by some of the greatest masters of the 20th century, from the Mosaic School of the Academy of Fine Arts in Ravenna.
On the main wall are three panels designed by Renato Signorini, in collaboration with Werther Focaccia and Libera Musiani, based on cartoons by Giovanni Majoli, representing World War I, the African War and the Spanish War respectively.
On the short wall of the room is a fourth panel with a classical layout, made by Antonio Rocchi and Ines Morigi Berti on a cartoon by Anton Giuseppe Santagata, depicting Julius Caesar with the features of Mussolini crossing the Rubicon with a stylisation of Ravenna in the background.
Under this panel, there was originally a fifth panel depicting the March on Rome, which was removed with the fall of the Fascist regime to make room for a new entrance to the hall.
