THE TOWN OF AGRO PONTINO
The
reclamation and building of the Agro Pontino stand out as some of the most
demanding and monumental works ever accomplished by fascism. In very few years,
swampy marshlands were drained out and cities were built that became symbols of
the regime. The reclamation project, sought after since the unification of
Work began in 1933 with almost 10,000,000 acres involved. Mussolini personally
supervised progress and arranged the stages of production with continuous
inspections, sometimes even by surprise, of the buildings sites.
In a short time, 2,173 colony houses were built, along with some 4,946 miles of
roads, and nearly 6100 miles of agricultural drainage systems.
The Agro Pontino gave to agriculture nearly 4,000,000 acres of terrain where,
for the past 2500 years, life was impossible.
The task of reclaiming the Agro Pontino was entrusted upon the Opera Nazionale
Combattenti (National Combatant Organization) who even prepared the work sites
for the future building of the cities.
The success of the reclamation project was also a medical success; only
fifty-three workers, in a space of two years, became infected with Malaria.
Medical prevention wanted by the regime, even in this case, provided fruitful
results.
As the drainage canals and pumps dried the land, new villages destined for
farmers were built on the newly reclaimed lands. Villages with sacred names from
the First World War:
Borgo Carso, Borgo Pasubio, Borgo Monte Grappa, Borgo Bainsizza, Borgo San
Michele.
The major effort, however, was focused on the building of the new cities that,
in record time, were built in the new architectural style sought after by the
Regime.
SABAUDIA inaugurated on August 5th 1933-XI
APRILIA founded
on
PONTINIA inaugurated on