Turns out those aren't steps to the giant Roman statue. It is a 200-foot high water fall that defined the pavilion's facade. The restaurant inside was designed in the shape of the nation's luxury cruise line ships.
On April 30th, 1939 the first of the fair's 40 million visitors strolled in to see marvels like the Italian Pavilion.
Three weeks later Mussolini signed the Pact of Steel with Hitler.