Sabaudia is situated in the Pontine Region, a vast plain south of Rome, once a marshland and, throughout the centuries, an object of numerous attempts to reclaim and transform the wild and inhospitable territory into a welcoming, fertile land. It appears that even Leonardo da Vinci elaborated plans to drain the marshes.
It was only in the 20s and 30s, during the government of Benito Mussolini, that the project became reality. Five new towns were born: Littoria, now Latina (1932); Sabaudia (1934); Pontinia (1935); Aprilia (1937); Pomezia (1939). The design for Sabaudia, a national competition, was proclaimed on 21 April 1933. It was won by a group of young architects: Piccinato, Montuori, Cancellotti and Scalpelli, all members of the M.I.A.R. (Movimento Italiano per l’Architettura Razionale), the rising Rationalist movement in Italian architecture and planning.
The laying of the foundation stone took place on the 5 August 1933, on the site chosen by Valentino Orsolini Cencelli, Commissioner of the Opera Nazionale per i Combattenti. After only 253 days, on 15 April 1934, Sabaudia was ceremonially inaugurated by King Victor Emanuel and Queen Helen of Montenegro, from whose family name Savoia, the term Sabaudia was derived.
From that day, Sabaudia has become an important tourist centre, thanks to its splendid architecture and breathtaking landscapes, and as a renowned seaside resort.