Colosseum - CathNews New Zealand

Rome piazza to be named after Martin Luther

Michael — Thu, 27 Aug 2015 19:09:58 +0000

Rome is to have a piazza named after German theologian and reformer Martin Luther, which will be close to the Colosseum.

City authorities finally approved a 2009 proposal by the Union of Seventh Day Adventist Churches to mark the 500th anniversary of the start of the Reformation.

The Vatican reportedly did not oppose the project, and this was seen as a key step in the project's go-ahead.

The "Piazza Martin Lutero" will be officially named on September 16, 2016.

The piazza will be located in the Parco del Colle Oppio park, crossing the Viale Fortunato Mizzi.

The descriptive shield will read: "Martin Luther square. German Theologian."

Rome piazza to be named after Martin Luther

Rome bans cars on road to Colosseum

admin — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 19:04:23 +0000

A busy road that cuts through Rome's ancient forum to the Colosseum was blocked to private traffic on Saturday, in the first stage of a plan to pedestrianise the area that has angered some locals but which the mayor says is of global importance.

In the hours before the closure, motorbikes and cars circled the Colosseum beeping their horns and taking photos to mark the last time they would take a route immortalised by Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck's scooter ride in the 1953 film Roman Holiday.

The almost 2,000-year old arena, where gladiators fought bloody battles for the entertainment of vast crowds, has been blackened with exhaust from heavy traffic that for years passed close to its walls.

By closing most of the Fori Imperiali road that runs 0.7 miles from the Colosseum to the giant marble Victor Emaneule monument, centre-left Mayor Ignazio Marino hopes to eventually turn the whole area into an archaeological park.

Source

The Guardian

Rome bans cars on road to Colosseum

Colosseum in Rome was once 'a riot of colour'

admin — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:03:19 +0000

The Colosseum, the 2000-year-old symbol of ancient Rome, is usually thought to have been clad in shimmering white marble. But restorers have found traces of "a riot of colour".

"They've uncovered complex decorations, floral patterns in polychrome glory including azure, ochre, pink and green," said the superintendent of the monument, Rossella Rea.

"We've known since the 19th century that the Colosseum's white splendour was punctuated by square red plaster tiles, but we never expected to find such multi-hued decorations, a veritable riot of colour."

Colosseum in Rome was once ‘a riot of colour'