MSN and other sites reporting the collapse of the Schola Armaturarum Juventus Pompeiani (House of Gladiators) this morning - see ***** http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40043231/ns/world_news-europe **** The finger pointing - on the heels of the Naples trash problems - has already started.
Posted by
Washington, DC
48 posts
That's sad! I suppose now that a building has collapsed they will make efforts to evaluate other structures throughout the complex in order to prevent what happened to the gladiator house. We can only hope. Also glad it happened no one was around.
Posted by
Rome
55 posts
It's an irreversible loss, but absolutely not surprising. I recently wrote an article about preservation in Rome, and the main thing to remember is that as soon as any kind of ruin is exposed to weather, to pollution, to tourists it starts to disintegrate. And that's before you get into the problems of funding, management, and so on. Even sadder? Italy's relatively GOOD at preserving its ruins and art, at least relative to most other countries. A reminder to not only look closely at, and appreciate, the sites when you travel, but also to tread carefully and always support museums, preservation groups, and other associations. That 12-euro Colosseum ticket might sound pricey, but the money goes to making sure things like the collapse in Pompeii don't happen. www.revealedrome.com
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9420 posts
Thanks for posting this Ron. This is so sad and disturbing. It can't be the only building there that is on the verge of collapsing. I know people have been screaming about it for years and I hope something is done, and soon. I loved this line "Officials speculated that the collapse may have been caused by heavy rains."