Buildings that were meant to symbolize the progress of the time were the Shell Service Station (1937), which is reminiscent of a passing vessel with its porthole-shaped windows and its curves, or the Bar Zilli building, which is shaped like a radio from the thirties. From the main entrance, the same number of windows and doors appear at regular intervals, distributed in perfect symmetry. The round windows are meant to remind onlookers of radio knobs. Another one of Asmara's symbolic buildings is the former headquarters of the Fascist Party; today it houses the Ministry of Education. The house looks like an "F" lying on its back. This was no coincidence, as the "F" in this case stood for Fascismo.
