News
Colosseum Denies Reports of Tourist Injured on Its Grounds
Italian outlets reported that an American man was impaled by a metal fence outside the ancient amphitheater.
Colosseum
News
Outrage Over Airbnb’s “Gladiator Experience” in Rome’s Colosseum
Some Italian officials say the private event risks turning the ancient amphitheater into a “Disneyland.”
News
Rat Infestation Plagues Rome’s Colosseum
Soaring temperatures and litter discarded by tourists might have added to the problem, authorities say.
News
Tourist Could Face Jail Time for Etching Names on Colosseum
Italian officials decried the vandalism, which was caught on camera by a fellow tourist.
News
Ancient Romans Snacked on Pizza at the Colosseum
An archeological exploration of the amphitheater’s sewers and water systems uncovered remnants of meat, vegetables, olives, nuts, and yes, pizza.
In Brief
Italy Earmarks €80M for 12 Cultural Projects, Including Rebuilding Colosseum Floor
On Tuesday Dario Franceschini, Italy's Minister of Heritage, Culture, and Tourism, announced that the superior council for cultural assets and landscape has committed €80 million (~$87 million) to 12 major cultural projects.
News
Crimes of the Art
On this week’s art crime blotter: selfie-taking vandals at the Colosseum, former Vatican worker holds stolen Michelangelo letter ransom, and ISIS mounts cyber attack on Midwestern crafts museum.
In Brief
When in Rome, Refrain from Carving Your Initials into Ancient Buildings
A 42-year-old Russian tourist visiting Rome was arrested and fined €20,000 (~$25,000) for carving a "K" nearly 10 inches tall into a wall inside the Colosseum, the first century CE amphitheater.
Opinion
Commercialism Fears Plague Colosseum Restoration
Rome wasn’t built in a day and it’s taking even longer to restore. Marred by age, pollution and a poorly placed subway line, the Roman Colosseum’s restoration was supposed to be funded by Diego Della Valle, the president and chief executive of the Italian shoe firm Tod’s, but legal troubles and prot