Since the 1950s, Italian historians and public opinion alike have questioned the nature andmanagement of the architectural legacy of the Fascist regime. Today, the traces of the regimeare stripped of their political value and accepted as part of the national heritage. They surviveas elements of a past that cannot communicate with the present, a time immune to ruinousfascinations and possible historical drifts. Stimulated by recent debates and contemporaryhistoriographical interpretations, this article provides its own perspective and suggests analternative approach, by highlighting the extent to which this debate is precarious andmalleable. By analyzing some case studies and their topoi, the article examines some of themain issues involved in a discussion that is symptomatic of a crisis of the main values andparadigms of postwar Italy.
Keywords: Fascism, Architecture, Historiography, Public opinion, Media, Heritage