It’s already been reported here on Gadling that Italian treasures such as Pompeii are slowly falling apart. This time, it’s the Colosseum, although the recent damage has nothing to do with neglect.
A rare bout of freezing temperatures and heavy snow has crippled the Italian capital as of late, and it’s been reported by CNN that the wintry precipitation is literally seeping it’s way into one of Rome’s most iconic monuments.
According to Colosseum superintendents, small pieces of the walls within the Colosseum are crumbling due to the effects of moisture and expanding ice. In much the same way as the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon are sculpted by water seeping into porous rock and expanding as it freezes, the same process is now taking place within the walls of the Colosseum.
European architects highlight this pattern is not out of the ordinary, just that the extreme weather as of late has accelerated the natural process of decay.
CNN also reports that buildings in the historic Italian town of Urbino are at risk of collapse simply from the weight of all the snow piled on top of them. Villagers have been reported to be adding extra roof braces to homes so as to avoid a cave in or collapse, and it’s feared that many of the historic buildings which have wooden joists may not be able to handle the extreme weight.
One proposed solution? Covering the entire the Colosseum in the event of a future storm. The jury, however, is still out on the feasibility of that solution.
Photo; Flickr: Fabio Stefano Alla