Fans and family pay last respects to Italian cinema icon Gina Lollobrigida

Fans joined family members to pay their last respects to the late Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida at Rome’s City Hall where the film icon’s body was lying-in-state on Wednesday.

The diva of Italian cinema in the 1950s and 1960s passed away on Monday aged 95.

Politicians and friends also paid homage to the artist, who was also famous as a photographer and designer.

Her funeral will be held on Thursday at the basilica of Santa Maria in Montesanto in Rome, known as the Church of the Artists.

Lollo, as she was lovingly nicknamed by Italians, began making movies in Italy just after the end of World War II, as the country began to promote on the big screen a stereotypical concept of Mediterranean beauty as buxom and brunette.

The actress was once dubbed the most beautiful woman in the world after the title of one of her movies.