L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS arena wasn't a way to "fill" it, but rather, to bring it c l o s e r t o t h e w a y i t w a s originally and to offer new knowledge about it to all of us. Criticism about the pro- ject did stand the test of t i m e : s e v e n y e a r s l a t e r , Montanari still believes this isn't a good idea. But his words weren't enough to stop it from happening, as it was announced on the 2 n d o f M a y b y I t a l y ' s Ministry of Culture: finally, the Colosseum will get its arena. The project, which will cost about 18.5 milion euro (almost 20 million USD), began in 2015, with an in depth analysis of the b u i l d i n g t o u n d e r s t a n d w h i c h t y p e o f s t r u c t u r e would be best to recreate i t s c e n t r a l a r e a . L a s t December came the call for t e n d e r , w o n b y M i l a n Ingegneria, a company known for its work in the context of art restoration and the securing of famous historical buildings like Florence's Spedale degli I n n o c e n t i a n d M i l a n ' s Palazzo Turati. The new arena will be a f a s c i n a t i n g l y c o m p l e x structure, created with the use of carbon fiber panels covered in accoya, a type of wood particularly strong and r esistant to r egul ar wear and tear and the ele- ments, reason for which it's often employed to pro- tect outdoors structures. Some of the panels will be able to move seamlessly, s h o w c a s i n g t h e C o l o s s e u m ' s o w n hypogeum, that intricate conglomeration of tunnels and cubicles we can see today at its center. Franceschini explains why he believes in the pro- ject: "I think it's a mix of safeguarding, intelligent conservation and techno- logical innovation." It will a l s o g i v e v i s i t o r s t h e opportunity to experience t h e C o l o s s e u m i n a n e w w a y , b e c a u s e " y o u ' l l b e able to walk on the plat- form – Franceschini con- tinues – and be at the cen- ter of the Colosseum. You'll be able to look at it the way travelers would have seen it back until the end of the 19 th century." Indeed, back then a wooden platform covered the arena area of the building. The ultimate aim is that o f b r i n g i n g b a c k t h e Colosseum to the way it was originally – minus the blood bath, of course. In i m p e r i a l t i m e s , t h e hypogeum was covered by a w o o d e n p l a t f o r m a n d wasn't visible to the public: in the end, the hypogeum was the equivalent of a the- atre's backstage, and was used also to host the com- plex machinery and mech- anisms to open up trap- doors and move lifts, used for peopl e, animal s and props. Thanks to this project, the Colosseum will get one l i t t l e s t e p c l o s e r t o i t s a n c i e n t m a g n i f i c e n c e , a magnificence we, today, e x p e r i e n c e o n l y i n p a r t and, perhaps, cannot even fully realize. And you know, anything that makes the Colosseum stronger and ready to last a n o t h e r t w o t h o u s a n d years should be welcomed because, as the Venerable B e d e u s e d t o s a y "Quamdiu stat Colysaeum s t a t e t R o m a , q u a n d o cadet et Colysaeum cadet et Roma, quando cadet et Roma cadet et mundus:" u n t i l t h e C o l o s s e u m stands, Rome will stand. When the Colosseum falls, Rome will end, too. But w h e n R o m e e n d s , t h e world will end as well. Continued from page 4 Tourists queuing to visit our Colosseum, one of the most iconic buildings in the world (Photo: Angelo Cordeschi/Dreamstime) Right now, a small, stage-like platform covers a section of the central area of the amphitheater (Photo: Pytyczech/Dreamstime) "The ultimate aim is that of bringing back the Colosseum to the way it was originally – minus the blood bath, of course. In imperial times, the hypogeum was covered by a wooden plat- form and wasn't visible to the public"

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