Cracks threaten Rome's majesty

[Viggen]

The Emperor Augustus said he found Rome a city of brick - and he left it a city of marble. But 2,000 years on, the cracks in his legacy are beginning to show. The Forum, the Colosseum and the palaces of the Palatine Hill still stand as proud testament to the Roman builders' genius. Yet today they are betrayed by monumental neglect. The problem of course is money. It costs millions to protect the treasures of Ancient Rome.

 

via BBC

[Northern Neil]

The Emperor Augustus said he found Rome a city of brick - and he left it a city of marble. But 2,000 years on, the cracks in his legacy are beginning to show. The Forum, the Colosseum and the palaces of the Palatine Hill still stand as proud testament to the Roman builders' genius. Yet today they are betrayed by monumental neglect. The problem of course is money. It costs millions to protect the treasures of Ancient Rome.

 

via BBC

 

This was on BBC TV news the other day. The reporter was stood beside the Aurelian Walls, a portion of which have apparantly fallen down recently, and also the basements of Nero's Golden House, which are suffering from water seepage.

 

I would have thought that the revenue Rome receives from tourists visiting these monuments would be sufficient to fund their upkeep. Unless there is simply too much to keep in good repair.

[The Augusta]

The Emperor Augustus said he found Rome a city of brick - and he left it a city of marble. But 2,000 years on, the cracks in his legacy are beginning to show. The Forum, the Colosseum and the palaces of the Palatine Hill still stand as proud testament to the Roman builders' genius. Yet today they are betrayed by monumental neglect. The problem of course is money. It costs millions to protect the treasures of Ancient Rome.

 

via BBC

 

This was on BBC TV news the other day. The reporter was stood beside the Aurelian Walls, a portion of which have apparantly fallen down recently, and also the basements of Nero's Golden House, which are suffering from water seepage.

 

I would have thought that the revenue Rome receives from tourists visiting these monuments would be sufficient to fund their upkeep. Unless there is simply too much to keep in good repair.

 

It is only recently that the government have started to charge for entry into the ancient monuments, however - a charge that is long overdue in my opinion. For years entry to the Forum Romanum was free, as was the Colosseum et al. More modern monuments (for instance, Keats' house at the Spanish Steps) carried a charge for upkeep, but the ancient ruins did not.

[Kosmo]

"Experts say they were considering restoring the ancient Roman sewers to help drain away that rainwater."

That would be nice! Of course the sewers are monuments themselves.

[Nagelfar]

"More modern monuments (for instance, Keats' house at the Spanish Steps) carried a charge for upkeep, but the ancient ruins did not."

 

But the upkeep on ruins is for free :-D

[Silentium]

It is only recently that the government have started to charge for entry into the ancient monuments, however - a charge that is long overdue in my opinion. For years entry to the Forum Romanum was free, as was the Colosseum et al. More modern monuments (for instance, Keats' house at the Spanish Steps) carried a charge for upkeep, but the ancient ruins did not.

 

Precisely. A vast part of the forums can still be visited for free. Entrance to the Pantheon is free, same for the majority of the paleochristian basilicas in the city, whose interiors hide many imperial columns, marbles and decorations (columns and marbles from the baths of Caracalla were re-used in many paleochristian basilicas, for example) and important mosaics from the IV-V-VI century.

Free entrance to S.Peter's basilica (I was charged

[Northern Neil]

In York, you can pay to go into all the museums, the Jorvic Centre and the Minster individually at a range of different prices, whereas one can also buy a ticket to see all the attractions, but at half price. Perhaps a scheme such as this in Rome would provide the neccessary revenue, whilst still offering tourists a discount? I believe this would actually boost overall revenue, because I would rather spend 30 euros on a ticket for everything, rather than five or ten euros apiece to see perhaps two monuments.

[Segestan]

No , I'd bet there is just No political Will/Gain for setting aside the monies. Just one more nail in the coffin of western Heritage. Who needs the Past when theirs .....EuroVision?

[Silentium]

In York, you can pay to go into all the museums, the Jorvic Centre and the Minster individually at a range of different prices, whereas one can also buy a ticket to see all the attractions, but at half price. Perhaps a scheme such as this in Rome would provide the neccessary revenue, whilst still offering tourists a discount? I believe this would actually boost overall revenue, because I would rather spend 30 euros on a ticket for everything, rather than five or ten euros apiece to see perhaps two monuments.

 

We already have this type of discount, for both museums and monuments..which means we get even less money, ironically. lol.

Our administration is convinced that culture should be accessible to as many people as possible, and I agree to an extent, but I think we should start charging an entrance fee, at least for the most important sites and not just for the palatine and the colosseum.

[Valentino Maximus46]

In my own limited and fairly unsuccessful career being an entrepreneur I have learned one thing; People actually appreciate something more when they actually have to pay for it (sometimes charging more for something increases that even more in the buyers mind). Don't ask me how I know lol. So 'charging' to visit some of the most significant monuments in history may have a positive effect? People then have a 'vested' interest which can be translated into the preservation of those places. Look at the amounts that are charged to attend stupid theme parks(Disney World, etc.). These are really nothing more than fancied up carnivals. If it has worth, it has value, and it should be compenstated. In this day and age that translates into money. Observing a sign that hung over a used car lot on the island of Oahu, Hawaii stated: MONEY TALKS - B.S. WALKS. That was right to the point and very concise.

Edited June 3, 2007 by Valentino Maximus46

[cluelessnewbie]

Hello, newbie here. This is old news but still heartbreaking. I've always dreamed of visiting Rome and other places of historical importance in Europe, but I wonder if there isn't a better way for me to use my money. I was reading just the other day about the damage tourism has done to Pompei while the ruins there deteriorate in the open. Are there non-profits out there which take in money for historical preservation? Not necessarily limited to Rome or Italy. I know there are lots of important causes out there, but preserving the shared history of mankind and the origins of our civilization is important too I think.