Palazzo delle Poste

La Spezia's Palazzo delle Poste is a 1933 building by Angiolo Mazzoni, combining rationalist forms with Futurist mosaics by Fillia and Enrico Prampolini.

Why it matters

The palace documents the Italian state's embrace of modern architecture for its communications network in the interwar period. Mazzoni designed both the exterior and interior, using brick, stone and polychrome marble. The tower mosaics bring Futurist art into a civic building whose original purpose was postal service.

What to notice

The square clock tower contains four ceramic panels titled Le vie del mare e del cielo. Fillia's panels depict land and maritime communications, while Prampolini's compositions interpret telegraph, telephone and air communications. At street level, exposed brick contrasts with marble, including portoro stone from Palmaria. A fountain on the Via D'Azeglio side was restored to Mazzoni's design.

Context and history

Mazzoni designed the palace in 1928–1929; it was inaugurated in November 1933, replacing an earlier post office that no longer met the needs of the provincial capital. The building's fittings and architecture were conceived together. Its history includes wartime damage, continued public use and later restoration of its fountain and mosaics. It remains one of La Spezia's significant rationalist-Futurist public buildings.