Colosseum's Southern Entrance Restored After Four-Year Renovation Project

Rome's Colosseum has undergone a four-year restoration of its southern entrance, led by Stefano Boeri Interiors. The project lowered the piazza to its original height, reintroduced approaching stairs, and relaid flooring with travertine from Tivoli quarries. Square travertine blocks now mark where pillars once stood, and Roman numerals indicate seat sections on the ground. Archaeologists discovered coins, statues, animal bones, and gold jewelry during excavation. One section between arches 65 and 71 remains in original condition, revealing foundations that helped researchers understand the hydraulic system. The southern façade originally featured travertine-paved arcades and marble columns over 160 feet tall, but collapsed by the 7th century due to soil instability, earthquakes, and looting. Nineteenth-century brick buttresses were added as emergency support. Funding came partly from Rome's new metro line development, with a station opening beneath the Colosseum. This follows last October's opening of the Commodus Passage, a secret underground entrance named after the 2nd-century emperor. Architect Stefano Boeri stated the project restores perception of the monument's original size and floor level, allowing visitors to imagine the lost ambulatories and arches.