Forli, restored "Mosaics of Flight" open to public in former Aeronautical College

Opening to the public from Saturday, April 18, 2026, are the Mosaics of Flight preserved inside theformer ForliAeronautical College, at the end of a restoration that returns of one of the most extensive mosaic cycles of the Italian twentieth century. The opening, set for 3 p.m., marks the first opportunity for public access to a complex that will be permanently visitable on weekends, pending the creation of a Museum of Flight.

The decorative cycle runs along 102 meters of black-and-white mosaic surface and is an example ofrationalist architecture. The building, designed by Roman engineer Cesare Valle between 1934 and 1941, houses decorations made to drawings by painter Angelo Canevari, an artist active since the 1930s and linked to the Futurist aeropainting movement. Canevari had already contributed to the decoration of the Stadio dei Marmi at the Foro Italico in Rome, placing himself in the context of an artistic production that, in the period, dealt with the theme of flight and technological modernity.

In the coeval panorama, the Forlì decoration stands out for characteristics that are difficult to find elsewhere: the extension of the surface and the choice of a dichromatic rendering, entirely entrusted to black and white, give the work a unified and strongly scenographic character. The cycle takes the form of a continuous narrative tracing the history of flight, constructed through a sequence of images that accompany the visitor along the corridors of the building.

The iconographic journey begins with figures from Greek mythology, with Icarus and Phaeton, and then moves through Leonardo da Vinci ’s inventions and early experiences of flight. The narrative continues with the aviation exploits of the early 20th century to events related to World War II, including military campaigns promoted by the fascist regime.

The building, owned by the City of Forli, will be accessible every weekend with differentiated hours: on Saturdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., on Sundays from 10 a.m. to noon and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., with last admission allowed thirty minutes before closing. The tours allow visitors to walk through the mosaic cycle in its entirety, returning an overall reading of the work. For information contact the Forlì Civic Museums ticket office or consult the official website dedicated to promoting tourism in the area.

Forli, restored "Mosaics of Flight" open to public in former Aeronautical College

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