frankerin: You can't even spell the name of the building in question and you voluteer stupid remarks about its preservation. Do you know anything about Italian tax laws? Obviously not. There are very few writeoffs for charitable donations in Italy, I'll inform you. So Mr. Della Valle and Tod's are really doing this as a gift to the country. And the people who wrote this "story" are as silly as you are. $34 million won't pay for "restoration" of the Anfiteatrum Flavium. It is a donation to continue the work of stabilization of what remains of it.

It would appear that you are in favor of the expenditure of time and money. But whom do you work for? Spelling by the way on boards such as this is irrelevant as people type fast and don't wait for editing. You on the other hand have the time to spellcheck. Congratulations. As to tax write offs, read again to see where I said , "if Italy has such". You claim they don't and I believe you. The people who actually pay taxes are fewer every year. Stabilization on other monuments have suffered massive signage for the publicity of builders and pols. Spare me the accolades for the shoe man. He does nothing for nothing. Your rousing defense is just a small insignificant kind of reward.

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

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.

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