New Piazza Opens on South Side of Rome's Colosseum

A new public piazza has opened on the south side of the Colosseum in Rome, transforming the area around the ancient monument. The piazza, inaugurated in March, is the result of a four-year project that began with excavations in 2022. The space features benches, steps, and paving that incorporates the foundations of an ancient pier, with the numeral VIII inscribed on the ground. The Colosseum, the largest amphitheater in the Roman world, originally measured 545 meters in circumference and rose 48 meters high, with 80 ground-level arches. Its south side collapsed in the late Middle Ages, likely due to an earthquake, and the stone was later removed. The new piazza provides a modern public space while highlighting the site's ancient history.