Dario Franceschini,Italy's Minister of Heritage, Cultural Activity and Tourism announced that the country has a plan to restore the floors of the Colosseum by investing €18.5 million ($20 million), as mentioned in an article from Curbed.
As cited in an article from The Spaces, Dario Franceschini posted pictures of the Colosseum in his Twitter account last August 4 with the caption, "A commitment maintained: the Colosseum will have its arena. Funded the project for reconstruction."
The article from The Spaces added that Franceschini said back in 2014 that he hoped to rebuild the wood and sand floor of the 2,000 year old structure, so it can be used as an events space.
In addition, the article from Curbed added that the private sector also is part of the public investment in the heritage site. The article cited Diego Della Valle, leather good billionaire, who funded €25 million ($27 million) in renovating some parts of the Colosseum like building a visitor's center and restoring the building's original white ochre façade.
An interview from Forbes, Della Valle said, "In Italy, the culture issue is very urgent. Over 50% of the world's cultural heritage is in our country, but more than often it is left to decay. Besides being an important economic resource, we have the duty to protect this heritage for everyone."
He also answered in the interview with Forbes that preserving cultural heritage is a duty "we owe our children".
The restoration of the Colosseum has begun in 2013 after three years of debate and delay, as reported by CBS News.
The article from The Spaces mentioned that the Colosseum is the largest amphitheater ever built which is made of concrete and stone measuring 48.5 meters in height. It was built in 72-80 AD under the leadership of Emperor Vespasian. In addition, the article from Curbed added that it the Colosseum serves as a historical centerpiece in the Italian region.
Furthermore, the article from Curbed added that restoring the floors of the Colosseum is part of a larger plan to restore numerous heritage sites around Italy, including the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. The article in The Spaces included that government also allotted €5 million for the Ship Museum in Pisa and €18 million for Uffizi Gallery in Florence. The article did not give the exact conversion in US Dollar.
