On 25 April 1945, the National Liberation Committee of Upper Italy delegation ordered the unconditional surrender of all Fascists and soldiers of the Italian Social Republic. Mussolini fled from Milan towards Como with his most loyal supporters, hiding amongst a group of German soldiers retreating to Switzerland. Two days later, a contingent from the 52^nd Garibaldi Brigade blocked the convoy, captured Mussolini and other Fascist Party officials, and took them to Palazzo Manzi, the town hall of Dongo,  to make the arrest official and interrogate Mussolini. On 28^th April, 15 party officials were shot by the lakeside at Dongo, and Mussolini and his lover, Claretta Petacci, were executed in front of Villa Belmonte, in Giulino di Mezzegra.

In 1995, the Museum of the Como Resistance opened in Palazzo Manzi and put on display relics, photographs, and documents related to the partisan struggle in the Lake Como area. In 2014 at the same location, the End of the War Museum was established, which sought to include the legacy of the first exhibition. The exhibition includes seven rooms as well as multimedia and interactive features. The building is also the starting point of ‘End of the War’ historical trails project and can be identified by a special tourist sign. This project seeks to give prominence to locations within the Como area where key historical events during the ending of the Second World War took place.

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