There is nothing "scandalous"
about wanting to optimise Rome's iconic Colosseum, Culture
Minister Dario Franceschini said Tuesday.
"Where is it written that the Colosseum's value cannot be
protected by making it more dynamic and livable," said
Franceschini in reference to a controversial proposal to restore
the first-century AD monument's killing floor.
The suggestion, initially made by archeologist Daniele
Manacorda in a magazine article in July and taken up by the
minister in a message on his twitter account Sunday, sparked
heated debate in Italy.
"In my opinion, while always rigorously ensuring the
protection of the monument and the seriousness of the
intervention, there is no scandal in plans to get the best
possible use out of it, also by creating a series of compatible
events and offering today's tourists the the same experience as
that enjoyed by travellers at the end of the 19th century," he
said.
In Sunday's tweet, Francheschini included a visual
comparison using a modern photo showing the exposed underground
tunnels, along with an image from the mid-1800s in which the
stage is still in place over the tunnels.
Francheschini tweeted: "I really like the idea of giving
the Colosseum its arena back", along with the photos, showing
the Colosseum both before and after the excavations of the
so-called hypogeum (literally, 'under ground') area.
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