Italy has kept its fascist monuments and buildings. The reasons are complex

The fascist origins of this Roman sports center can be seen in its monumental sculpture and architecture. (Sylvia Poggioli/NPR)

ROME — Cinema Troisi is an art movie house in central Rome. Its stark, white, minimalist façade contrasts with the ornate 19th-century buildings nearby.

It was built in the 1930s as the headquarters of the Fascist Youth Organization — the GIL.