Lightning that struck Rome's Arch of
Constantine near the Colosseum during a violent thunderstorm on
Tuesday loosened fragments from the ancient structure, the
Colosseum Archaeological Park has said in a statement.
The institution said its technicians intervened "promptly" right
after the storm and "all fragments" from the lightning strike
were "retrieved and secured".
The extent of the damage was being evaluated on Wednesday, the
Colosseum Archaeological Park added.
The thunderstorm unleashed a month's worth of rain on the
Italian capital in just over an hour.
The arch, the biggest of Rome's ancient arches - the others are
the Arch of Titus (AD 81)and the Arch of Septimius Severus
(203-5) - was built in 315 CE to commemorate Constantine's
victory over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in AD
312.
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