Colosseum Arena Reconstruction Tender Published by Invitalia

Invitalia, the national agency for investment attraction and business development owned by the Italian Ministry of Economy, has published a tender for the technical design services to reconstruct the Colosseum's arena floor. The project, part of the Strategic Plan for Major Cultural Projects under the Art Bonus law, was presented in 2015 by Minister Dario Franceschini with a total funding of €18.5 million. The idea was originally proposed by archaeologist Daniele Manacorda in 2014 and strongly supported by the Mibact – Parco Archeologico del Colosseo. The intervention aims to restore the arena surface where gladiator fights and games took place, while allowing visitors to see the underlying hypogeum structures. A mobile system will be required to protect the archaeological remains from weather and sunlight, and to reveal the ancient machinery multiple times a day. The deadline for applications is February 1, 2021, with work expected to start by 2021. Minister Franceschini stated that the reconstruction is a great idea that has gone around the world and will offer visitors the chance to see the Colosseum's beauty from the center of the arena.