In ancient Rome, up to 50,000 people gathered inside the Colosseum to watch enslaved men, condemned criminals, martyrs and wild animals fight to the death.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, these grisly gladiator clashes required great feats of engineering. To make caged creatures and prize fighters emerge from underground as if by magic, the Romans devised a labyrinth of secret tunnels beneath the arena’s wooden, sand-covered floor.
These underground structures have remained exposed to the elements for centuries, enabling the millions of tourists who visit the Colosseum each year to see them up close, according to Reuters.
Now, the Italian government has pledged $12 million toward the construction of a retractable floor that will offer tourists a glimpse of the amphitheater as it once was.
As Jonathan Hilburg reports for the Architect’s Newspaper, Italian authorities say the restored version of the floor will feature replicas of trapdoors, lifts and other mechanical elements used in Roman times.
The project has a 2023 completion date, and tourism officials in Rome will launch a new chapter for the ruins, as concerts, events and gatherings will be held on the floor.
“The arena will be used for high culture, meaning concerts or theater, but no gladiator shows,” says the Colosseum's director. https://t.co/uZC8g3bq4u
— Smithsonian Magazine (@SmithsonianMag) December 29, 2020
