First the Pisa, now the ancient Colosseum of Rome is leaning to one side. Geologists say the famed 2,000-year-old amphitheater in Rome could be suffering from an internal stress fracture, making it to slant downward on south side. Vibrations from surrounding traffic could be to blame.
Experts from Rome’s Sapienza University and the Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering have been tasked with finding out the cause of the tilt of famous Colosseum in Rome.
Roman Colosseum in need of urgent support as one side is fifteen inches lower than other / Colosseum & Tower of Pisa News
The director at the 2,000-year-old Colosseum monument Rossella Rea, said in an article published in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera that experts first noticed the incline about a year ago and have been monitoring it for the past few months.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa, another of Italy’s most popular attractions, was reopened in 2001 after being shut for more than ten years as engineers worked to prevent it from falling over and to make it safe for tourists.
The Colosseum in Rome attracts an estimated two million visitors annually and was once used to host bloody gladiator battles.
There have already been tests done to see how traffic on surrounding roads has affected the Colosseum monument. The observers say that the vibrations from the heavy traffic could be to blame. The other archaeologist with nearly thirty years’ experience, said ‘ If our doubts are confirmed, we are dealing with two structurally different monuments and at that point it would be necessary to reunite them. ‘
The north and south sides of the Colosseum are no longer in horizontal alignment / Rome Colosseum as the second Tower of Pisa
The experts from Rome’s Sapienza University and the Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering (IGAG) have been asked to conduct an urgent scientific study to determine the cause of the Colosseum’s leaning.
Professor Giorgio Monti, from Sapienza’s department of structural engineering, said he fears there may be a crack in the base of the monument.
There is already been calls for the structure to be overhauled. A luxury handbag maker, Diego Della Valle has proposed donating about 33 million dollars to keep the outside from crumbling further. But some restoration experts have expressed concern that the team he brings in could cause irreparable damage to the structure of historic Colosseum in Rome.
Another one of Italy’s iconic tourist spots — the Leaning Tower of Pisa — has been tilting since construction of its 3rd story in 1178 because of shifting soil.
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