Rome's Piazza Augusto Imperatore reopens after 20 years of construction

After two decades of delays and controversy, the newly pedestrianized Piazza Augusto Imperatore in Rome has finally opened to the public, reconnecting the historic area around the Mausoleum of Augustus with the contemporary city. The project, initially won by architect Francesco Cellini in an international competition in 2006, aims to liberate the Mausoleum from its long isolation. The first phase includes two wide ramps linking Via di Ripetta and San Carlo al Corso, a café/info point, and infrastructure upgrades. Mayor Roberto Gualtieri announced that work on the second lot—covering the upper garden, road connections, and lower ambulatory—will proceed within the year, followed by the musealization of the Mausoleum itself, designed by Rem Koolhaas. The Mausoleum's restoration, funded by Fondazione TIM (€6 million) and Fondazione Bvlgari (€700,000), will include a new visitor path, replacement of cypress trees, and display of archaeological finds. The project also involves the Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali and has transformed surrounding buildings, including the Bvlgari Hotel.