(by Emanuela De Crescenzo).
Archaeologists are excavating a
large semi-circular hall belonging to an Imperial Roman
residence located in present-day Piazza Dante amid controversial
plans to move the remains to the centre of the square.
The so-called Volta Gatti came to light during renovations at
the ex palazzo Casse di Risparmio Postali in Piazza Dante, which
is set to become the new secret services headquarters.
Measuring almost nine meters in height and featuring precious
decorations in glass paste and marble, the hall is part of an
imperial complex adjacent to the Horti Lamiani, a set of gardens
on the Esquiline Hill in the triangle formed by present-day Via
Merulana, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and Via Principe Eugenio that
were incorporated by Emperor Nero into his Domus Aurea.
Once excavations are complete, the special superintendent's
office for the Colosseum and archaeological area intends to
relocate the remains to the centre of Piazza Dante in the first
public participatory archaeological project of its kind.
However, in the first of three public meetings to discuss the
project, local residents expressed their opposition on grounds
of wanting to preserve one of the few green spaces in the
neighbourhood and funding concerns.
The plan is to reposition the hall on one side of Piazza
Dante alongside a series of terraces evoking the ancient
topography of the area.
The project also includes installing hologram displays
superimposing images of the ancient Horti on the present-day
square.
"The real challenge is to succeed in reconciling the ancient
city and the present-day one," said I Municipio President
Sabrina Alfonsi.
Superintendent Francesco Prosperetti stressed "the importance
of delocalisation in order to valorise the remains".
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