Cultural Minister Dario Francheschini likes the idea of putting the gladiatorial stage back into the Colosseum, and in a tweet on Sunday said that it would "just take a little courage" to do so.
The idea to restore the stage was suggested by archeologist
Daniele Manacorda in July in the archeological journal Archeo.
In Sunday's tweet, Francheschini included a visual
comparison using a modern photo showing the exposed underground
tunnels, comparing it to one from the mid-1800s in which the
stage was still in place over the tunnels, similar to ancient
times.
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 Hypogeum
underground area.
Restoring an arena stage in the Colosseum, which attracts
five million visitors a year, would allow the cultural ministry
to sponsor and offer performances in the Colosseum, as well as
allow underground tours suggestive of its original underground
atmosphere.
Francheschini's support of the idea falls in line with other
initiatives the Culture Ministry has launched in recent times to
increase the number of visitors to iconic monuments in Rome,
such as the evening multimedia light show in the Forum of
Augustus that was put in place this year to celebrate the 2000th
anniversary of the first emperor's death.
The idea hasn't met with full support from experts in the
field, however.
"It's a culturally weak idea, commonplace and banalizing,"
said art historian Tomaso Montanari.
"With all there is to do, with all the enormous cultural
heritage in danger, so many unknown things among our treasures,
is it right for the cultural minister to focus on the Colosseum
and its use as a performance venue?" Montanari asked.
Art historian and archeologist Salvatore Settis said Italy
is facing a "dramatic moment for cultural heritage protection"
and that the Unblock Italy law has "devastating regulations"
that make restoring the Colosseum's stage "an unreasonable
priority".
Manacorda, the archeologist who proposed the idea, said, "I
don't see any problems [in restoring the arena]. Giving the
underground back its 'undergroundness' means offering the
possibility of visiting the underground labryinth in a way that
makes sense".
Manacorda also said that restoring the stage would bring the
Colosseum back to being a place where it could host public
events and shows.
Also in support of the idea is archeologist, professor, art
historian and ex-superintendent of Rome's antiquities for nearly
30 years from 1976-2004, Adriano La Regina.
"The Colosseum was designed to be an arena," La Regina said,
but he also cautioned that the expense to restore the arena as
well as the upkeep costs should be taken into consideration.
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