McDonald's opens restaurant inside archaeological site near Rome
McDonald's has opened a restaurant integrated with an archaeological site in Marino, near Rome, investing €300,000 to excavate and display a 45-meter stretch of basalt road from the 1st-2nd century BCE along the Appian Way. The site, discovered during construction, includes tombs and a drainage channel. The result is a free-access underground gallery with didactic panels in Italian and English, separate from the restaurant but visible through glass floors. The project, supervised by the Soprintendenza, was inaugurated on February 21, 2017, and is the first of its kind in Italy. Despite protests from citizens, parties (Idv, Pdci, Sel), and associations (Legambiente, Acab, Archeo Club Marino), the project proceeded, sparking debate on commercial use of heritage.
Key facts
- McDonald's invested €300,000 in archaeological excavation and site enhancement.
- The site includes a 45-meter basalt road from the 1st-2nd century BCE.
- The archaeological gallery is free and has a separate entrance from the restaurant.
- Glass floors in the restaurant allow views of the ruins.
- The project was directed by the Soprintendenza.
- Inauguration took place on February 21, 2017.
- Location: Frattocchie, Marino, near Rome, along the Appian Way.
- Opposition included Idv, Pdci, Sel, Legambiente, Acab, and Archeo Club Marino.
Entities
Institutions
- McDonald's
- Soprintendenza
- Idv
- Pdci
- Sel
- Legambiente
- Acab
- Archeo Club Marino
- Artribune
Locations
- Marino
- Frattocchie
- Rome
- Italy
- Appian Way