Temple of Venus and Roma opens in Rome after 26-year restoration
Ancient Rome's biggest temple reopened to the public on Thursday after 26 years of restoration work.
The Italian government re-opened the Temple of Venus and Rome after 26 years of restoration works Photo: AP
By Nick Squires in Rome 6:50PM GMT 11 Nov 2010
The massive Temple of Venus and Roma, in the heart of the Roman Forum and a stone's throw from the Colosseum, was designed and commissioned by the Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD.
It was so large that a huge bronze statue of the Emperor Nero – known as the Colossus – had to be moved to another site.
The restoration of the temple was particularly welcome in a week in which a house used by gladiators prior to combat collapsed into a pile of rubble at Pompeii, prompting a national debate on Italy's management of its ancient sites.
The Temple of Venus once had dozens of 50ft high white marble columns flanking an enormous nave and a coffered vaulted ceiling, but only 16 are still standing.
Nearly 350ft long and more than 150ft wide, it was used as a car park until the 1980s.
"This monument should be the envy of the world, but it was completely abandoned and left in the most degraded state," Francesco Maria Giro, the junior culture minister, said at the opening ceremony.
The temple was dedicated to Venus, the goddess of love, and Roma, the patron goddess of Rome, and contained giant statues of both.
"We're restoring to Rome one of the most important symbols of the power and greatness of the Roman Empire," said Claudia Del Monte, the architect in charge of repairs.
"We've worked meticulously to restore every single stone of the temple that remains, cleaning away the smog and filth caused by years of urban misuse.
"When we began restoring the stucco we found traces of gold leaf that would have adorned the apses above the statues. Though the sculptures have long been lost, we've done our best to return the temple to its former glory," she said.
Entrance to the temple will be included in the 12 euro (£10) tickets which give visitors access to the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine Hill.
The collapse at Pompeii set off a furious debate over the neglect of Italy's ancient sites, with archaeologists warning that decades of mismanagement could lead to more treasures being lost.
Opposition parties called on Sandro Bondi, the culture minister, to resign.
Hundreds of libraries and museums will close today in protest at swingeing cuts introduced by the cash-strapped government of Silvio Berlusconi since he returned to power in 2008.
The Telegraph
The Italian government re-opened the Temple of Venus and Rome after 26 years of restoration works Photo: AP
By Nick Squires in Rome 6:50PM GMT 11 Nov 2010
The massive Temple of Venus and Roma, in the heart of the Roman Forum and a stone's throw from the Colosseum, was designed and commissioned by the Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD.
It was so large that a huge bronze statue of the Emperor Nero – known as the Colossus – had to be moved to another site.
The restoration of the temple was particularly welcome in a week in which a house used by gladiators prior to combat collapsed into a pile of rubble at Pompeii, prompting a national debate on Italy's management of its ancient sites.
The Temple of Venus once had dozens of 50ft high white marble columns flanking an enormous nave and a coffered vaulted ceiling, but only 16 are still standing.
Nearly 350ft long and more than 150ft wide, it was used as a car park until the 1980s.
"This monument should be the envy of the world, but it was completely abandoned and left in the most degraded state," Francesco Maria Giro, the junior culture minister, said at the opening ceremony.
The temple was dedicated to Venus, the goddess of love, and Roma, the patron goddess of Rome, and contained giant statues of both.
"We're restoring to Rome one of the most important symbols of the power and greatness of the Roman Empire," said Claudia Del Monte, the architect in charge of repairs.
"We've worked meticulously to restore every single stone of the temple that remains, cleaning away the smog and filth caused by years of urban misuse.
"When we began restoring the stucco we found traces of gold leaf that would have adorned the apses above the statues. Though the sculptures have long been lost, we've done our best to return the temple to its former glory," she said.
Entrance to the temple will be included in the 12 euro (£10) tickets which give visitors access to the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine Hill.
The collapse at Pompeii set off a furious debate over the neglect of Italy's ancient sites, with archaeologists warning that decades of mismanagement could lead to more treasures being lost.
Opposition parties called on Sandro Bondi, the culture minister, to resign.
Hundreds of libraries and museums will close today in protest at swingeing cuts introduced by the cash-strapped government of Silvio Berlusconi since he returned to power in 2008.
The Telegraph
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