Italian Luxury Label Tod's to Restore Rome's Colosseum

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Jan 24th 2011 at 3:02PM

Diego Della Valle, President of Italian luxury label Tod's, and Italy's Ministry of Culture have announced that the Tod's Group will finance a complete restoration of Rome's historic Colosseum with a monetary commitment of 25 million euros, or about $34 million. Mr. Della Valle (above left), Rome's Mayor Gianni Alemanno (right), Culture Undersecretary Francesco Giro and the Government Commissioner for central Rome's archaeological area held a press conference at the Colosseum's arena to announce the project.

Completed in 80 AD under the emperor Titus, the Colosseum is capable of seating 50,000 spectators and was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts and executions. The project will proceed in eight phases dedicated to the cleanup and restoration of the architectural icon. "We believe that because the Tod's Group is a strong global representative of 'Made in Italy', it is both an honour and our duty to contribute to the support of our country's image and credibility, as well as its cultural heritage," Della Valle declares.

Tags: architecture, Colosseum, Diego Della Valle, history, Italy, Rome, Tods

Subscribe to these comments

Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)

jimbarry1946 Jan 25th 2011 6:31PM

You are a sad, sad person. You'd just rather they gave you the money for doing nothing.

Bill Jan 25th 2011 7:00PM

Frankerin, I guess you will not be sending matching funds. Any structure that still stands afer 1,931 years could apply for an exemption on the building codes.

Bill Jan 26th 2011 10:41AM

I don't guess we can count on you for matching funds

cathyc13211 Jan 25th 2011 1:07PM

I hope someone saves it. Its one one the main destinations for tourists. It's also one one the biggest part of Romes' history.

kksm1 Jan 25th 2011 1:34PM

Maybe if they not only build a beautiful automobile but ones that reliable and not obscenely expensive to maintain. The quality is a joke. A brake job on a maserati is about 3000!!! and the F1 clutches go out in 15k and are expensive to maintain. If Im spending that amount of money on buying the car Id expect it be reliable and not expensive to maintain. I would buy an Italian car if it was as reliable as a Japenses car or American car and the same money to maintain. Having a beautiful car does you no good on the back of a flatbed. Cant you Italians make a reliable car? Also the same goes for their motorcycles.

Bill Jan 25th 2011 6:41PM

Da Doo Ron Ron Jan 25th 2011 1:35PM

It's not going to be completely restored as it once was-- it's going to be cleaned up and made safer, and shored up in its weak areas. They want to open more areas to visitors to explore and study. SO MUCH of it was plundered and carted away during the centuries, used to build houses and churches. Those sections will never be replaced. I could see them building ONE model section, complete with all the appurtenances, which would show how it looked and operated-- e.g., there was a canopy they used to pull over the entire top!-- but they won't be giving it a 100% makeover.

sara Jan 25th 2011 2:31PM

..they sure do make enough money from their bags, all rich people should be literally helping out to restore their country like they are doing, without "renaming" or anything like that. If the Billionaires the list below put their money towards helping out some of the worlds problems --even the small ones like cleaning the colosseum, the world would be a better place. Afterall, money RUNS the world.

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/10/billionaires-2010_The-Worlds-Billionaires_Rank.html

boyle95 Jan 25th 2011 2:36PM

For $34 million do the realize how many Mexicans laborers they will have to import to get it done that cheap

Kenny Jan 25th 2011 3:05PM

I think it's another attempt at corporate naming rights...a sad part of American culture that's infiltrating Italy...Next, the NFL will expand into Europe-guess where the Italian team will play? And what will they wear on their feet? Hmmmm......

moxiedrapo Jan 25th 2011 3:29PM

I have never been to the Colosseum but it's an amazing piece of history. I hope they do a nice job but don't change the fundamentals or the fact that many people died horrible deaths there at the behest of cruel rulers, all under the guise of entertainment for the bloodthirsty masses. We should protect our national treasures and remember our past, good or bad.

Joan Jan 25th 2011 3:45PM

Part of the interest in visiting 'the Old City" of Rome, is to see the Ruins. I would be all for shoring up what remains of the Coliseum, but to me, it would lose so much of its historic value, and ambiance, by a 100% renovation. There is something magical about visiting The Old City. Leaving as much of it, as possible, as it was built in AD would be more honorable than looking at it from a shoe salesman point of view. JMHO. To each his own.

powermetal2000 Jan 25th 2011 4:37PM

This reminds me of what they have doing with the Parthenon in Athens. Strengthening the structure and reconstructing certain sections.

J.E.B. Jan 25th 2011 5:23PM

I can't wait till renovation and restoration is completed. Then they can put ALL the world's leaders in there and let them battle it out to the death, and leave the innocent people of the world OUT of all this fighting and terrorism, and killing.

marksmant001 Jan 25th 2011 7:44PM

This will be an ideal place to send the "Gangsta Monkey's" from the ghettos of America. Lets see how brave they are when they have to actually fight facing someone instead of shooting down innocent people in a drive by.And the winner if he's lucky will be "Repatriated" to his beloved Africa. Preferably Somalia, or the Sudan.

pks29733steel Jan 25th 2011 9:03PM

There are no 'plans' that were discovered showing the way the colosseum looked when it was built. Every thing will be a 'guess'. Thus the money will be spent on the way us 'moderens' thought it would be. Best to leave the mounment the way it is!!

Previous 20 Comments