Ancient Roman laundry discovered during Rome's Jubilee construction

During construction for the pedestrianization of Piazza Pia in Rome, a 500-square-meter Roman fullonica (laundry) and extensive mosaic surfaces were discovered. The project, funded with €79.5 million from the Jubilee, involves building an underpass to divert traffic. The archaeological finds have delayed completion from December 8 to December 24, 2024. The fullonica, originally a residential building transformed into an open-air laundry, features rectangular rooms with mosaic floors and washing vats. The finds will be relocated to Castel Sant'Angelo for preservation and public display. Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano praised the collaboration between institutions for balancing modernization and heritage protection.