Since 20 October the Colosseum has a new director, Simone Quilici, an architect and landscape designer already at the helm of the Appia Antica Archaeological Park. Its mission appears clear from the beginning: to transform the Flavian amphitheater into a living stage, capable of hosting concerts by international artists and high-profile historical re-enactments. Quilici made it known that he wanted to bring the monument back “to the center of city life”, overcoming the condition of a relic to be admired to make it a place to live. Among the names already evoked for future events, artists of the caliber of Sting, Peter Gabriel and Paul McCartney stand out.
A renovated arena for high-quality events
The project involves the replacement of the current arena with a technological structure made of latest generation materials, such as carbon fiber panels. The work will take at least two years. The new arena will serve to host classical and pop music concerts, as well as historical re-enactments conducted with scientific rigor, on the model of what already happens in the arenas of Spain, France, Croatia and Tunisia. Quilici underlined that these will be “excellent shows for Romans and tourists, with assigned seats”, in a perspective that combines culture and sustainability.
The plan also includes a reorganization of the accesses to the Colosseum, with entrances distributed over several points and connected to the routes of the Roman Forum, the Palatine and the Appia Antica. The objective is to create a single archaeological itinerary that relieves the pressure of mass tourism and returns the monument to the city.
Concerns for the conservation of the monument
The choice to open the Colosseum to musical events and historical re-enactments raises questions about the protection of an archaeological asset that is almost two thousand years old. Mechanical vibrations represent a real threat to ancient monuments, as demonstrated by several scientific studies. Urban traffic, human activities and even atmospheric conditions produce mechanical stresses which, when added to events with thousands of people and high-power sound systems, could accelerate the deterioration of the monument.
Research has highlighted that each architectural structure has specific resonance frequencies and that noise pollution can cause serious damage. When external vibrations coincide with these frequencies, damage can be significantly amplified. Rock concerts, in particular, generate vibrations that travel both through the air and through the ground, caused by the stresses of the audience jumping and dancing. At the same intensity, there are frequencies capable of seriously damaging a monument and others that do not produce significant effects.
Case studies from other Italian monuments
The experience of other Italian historical sites offers elements for reflection. Milan Cathedral has installed acoustic sensors to monitor concerts in the square after the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo raised the alarm: the vibrations from the demonstrations risk damaging the windows and the most fragile elements of the cathedral. Director Gianni Baratta defined noise pollution as a priority to be addressed, stating that “any event must respect the Duomo”.
The Circus Maximus was also the subject of specific studies, conducted by ENEA and ISPRA, in collaboration with the Capitoline Superintendence, which analyzed the effects of vibrations on the Torre della Moletta during a concert in 2019. The data showed that the structures undergo high stress, associated with both acoustic vibrations and those transmitted by the ground. During a concert in 2023, some people even hypothesized that a seismic event had occurred in the capital, so intense were the vibrations felt.
Scientific research on the deterioration of cultural heritage highlights how floods, air pollution and mechanical stress represent growing threats to Italian heritage. Experts agree that prevention and constant monitoring are essential and indispensable tools to preserve all those monuments which, on a daily and often unavoidable basis, are subjected to constant exposure to environmental and anthropic stress.
A difficult balance between valorization and protection
Quilici’s proposal is part of a broader debate on the valorization of cultural heritage: on the one hand, opening monuments to new uses can promote knowledge of them and guarantee an additional economic resource, also useful for maintenance; on the other, the fragility of ancient structures imposes cautions that are not always compatible with the needs of mass events. The risk is that the search for emotional experience and tourist attractiveness prevails over the need to preserve the material integrity of the property.
The technical standards for construction provide a series of specific limitations for historic-monumental buildings, recognizing the difficulty of adapting it to the new safety standards. The interventions must increase safety without compromising the cultural values of the property. In the case of the Colosseum, an approach that rigorously evaluates the long-term effects of vibrations and human activities concentrated in an archaeological area that is as delicate as it is precious appears necessary.
Open questions for the future
Quilici’s project represents an ambitious bet. Will the Colosseum be able to become a living place without losing its essence of historical testimony? Will monitoring technologies be sufficient to prevent irreversible damage? And what will be the criteria for selecting events compatible with the conservation of the monument? The answer to these questions will determine whether this transformation will be remembered as a success of cultural innovation or as a risky experiment on one of Western civilization’s most treasured symbols.
The dialogue between past and present can enrich our experience of cultural heritage, but only if conducted with the right awareness, which recognizes the innate status of uniqueness and irreplaceability of monuments such as the Colosseum, far from being a simple arena. The Flavian Amphitheater is the legacy of ancient Rome, the symbol of the Eternal City which has been there since 80 AD and which must be preserved, with prudence and courage.
