The municipality of Guidonia Montecelio, formed by the main towns of Guidonia and Montecelio, lies to the north-east ofRome, some kilometres from theGrande Raccordo Anulare - a ring-shaped motorway which forms a circle around the capital. The terrain of Guidonia Montecelio is mainly flat, and the community lies in between theVia Nomentana and theVia Tiburtina.
Montecelio was founded in 998 as a fortifiedcastrum (Castrum Monticellorum).
In 1915 theRegio Esercito (Italian Royal Army) built a major military airport in the area for itsCorpo Aeronautico Militare (Military Aviation Corps), the predecessor of theItalian Royal Air Force founded in 1923.
Guidonia was erected as acomune in 1937 byBenito Mussolini, its name chosen to honour theRegia AeronauticageneralAlessandro Guidoni (1880–1928), who had died on 27 April 1928 while testing a newparachute at the air force facilities.
^"Demography in Figures". Istituto nazionale di statistica (ISTAT). Archived fromthe original on 2017-06-22. Retrieved2010-02-12. for August 2009
^"Guidonia Climate Normals 1991–2020".World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived fromthe original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved27 August 2023.
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