Rome's New Metro C Stations Colosseo and Porta Metronia Open as Archaeological Museums

After 12 years of construction, Rome inaugurated two new metro stations on Line C—Colosseo and Porta Metronia—that double as archaeological museums. Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli officiated the opening, highlighting the integration of ancient Roman artifacts unearthed during excavation. The Colosseo station, 20 meters deep, features a domus with imperial-era frescoes, 28 Republican-era wells, and a balneum from the 1st century BCE to 1st century CE. A corridor offers a view of the Colosseum from below. Porta Metronia, designed by Paolo Desideri, revealed the 'Domus of the Commander' and a centurion's house with mosaics from the early 2nd century CE, along with some 600 artifacts to be displayed in a museum opening spring 2026. The exhibition design by Filippo Lambertucci and Andrea Grimaldi includes serigraphs, video installations, and dioramas. The 'top-down archaeological' technique was used to manage the complex subsurface. Notable finds include a marble Medusa head from the Temple of Venus and Rome and reconstructions of the Templum Pacis cult hall. The stations connect Rome's periphery to the center, with future extensions planned to Piazza Venezia, Piazzale Clodio, and the Farnesina, passing MAXXI and Auditorium.