A colossal undertaking.

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  • Additional Information
    • Subject Terms:
      ROME (Italy); ITALY; VATICAN City
    • Subject Terms:
      COLOSSEUM (Rome, Italy) ; ST. Peter's Basilica (Vatican City)
    • Subject Terms:
      VESPASIAN, Emperor of Rome, 9-79; TITUS, Emperor of Rome, 40-81
    • Abstract:
      The article discusses efforts to restore the Colosseum, an ancient Roman amphitheater and popular monument and tourist attraction in Rome, Italy. The author charts the history of the Colosseum, including its construction during the reigns of Roman Emperors Vespasian and Titus, its use for gladiatorial fights, and the eventual use of its stones to help construct St. Peter's Basilica. The financing of the restoration project by Tod's, a shoe-making firm, is then explained. The introduction of body scanners to heighten security is examined, as are efforts to allow visitors to access the structure's lower depths, called the Hypogeum.