Inside Mussolini's Abandoned Dream Villa

The Villa de Vecchi, also known as Mussolini's Villa, is an abandoned house located on Prophet Elias Mountain in Rhodes. It was intended to be the vacation residence of the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini. The villa was built by Mussolini's advisor, Count Cesare de Vecchi, during the period when the Dodecanese were under Italian control. Construction began in 1936 and lasted until 1947. The villa overlooks the Italian-built hotels Elafos and Elafina, which were built in an alpine style and serve as further evidence of Mussolini's plans to make Rhodes the stronghold of the Italian Empire.

Despite Mussolini's intentions, he never got to spend a summer in the villa. However, Vecchi himself stayed there during his tenure as governor of the Dodecanese until 1947. The villa features ornate walls, floors, and ceilings that are characteristic of its age. Its wooden French doors in the main living room still frame the stunning view of the Turkish coast and the island of Symi. The mansion has managed to preserve its original chapel, which was built at a short distance, with its stained glass windows remaining untouched even after decades.

Since the Dodecanese were handed over to Greece in 1947, the villa has been abandoned. The fireplaces and walls of the two-story wooden and stone construction are now covered in graffiti. Only the painted ceilings remain untouched, reminding us of its glorious past. Some claim that the villa was intentionally left to deteriorate to serve as a permanent reminder of Vecchi's harshness towards the locals and Italy's failure to Italianize the Dodecanese.

The Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) put the villa on the market in 2014. However, it remains unsold to this day as no investor has been found. The villa is located on the lush Prophet Elias Mountain, which rises 641 meters southwest of the island, just 25 kilometres away from the city of Rhodes. Due to its altitude, the villa's location offers stunning views of both the Turkish coast and the island of Symi. The southern side of the mountain overlooks Mount Attavyros, the highest mountain in Rhodes. In the same area, on the outskirts of Prophet Elias, are the traditional villages of Apollona, Dimylia, Platanias, and Agia Eleousa.

Shot on Sony a7s II
Drone: Dji Mini 3
Drone shots by Lazaros Paraskevas
Filmed and edited by Nikos Giannou