Conservators have begun assessing the damage to the Arch of Constantine in Rome after the fourth-century monument was struck by lightning on 3 September during a storm. The downpour also flooded the lower tunnels of the Colosseum, which remained closed the following day, according to CNN.
The Colosseum Archaeological Park said on its Instagram feed that “the recovery operation carried out by our technicians [at the Arch of Constantine] was timely and our officials arrived on the scene immediately after the [lightning strike].
“All the fragments have been recovered and secured. It is important to emphasise that just three days ago restoration work on the southern side of the arch began: we have therefore combined the planned maintenance, linked to the planned restoration, with the emergency protection work that was promptly executed.” Park officials were contacted for further comment.
A crane lifted workers to the top of the monument where marble pieces had been dislodged. The restorers subsequently removed two slabs of broken marble from the roof. The arch celebrates Emperor Constantine’s military victory over his rival Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in Rome around AD312.
In a post on X, the mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, said that various city representatives, including the department of the environment, will assess the damage done by the “incredible water bomb that hit the centre of Rome”. Italy’s Civil Protection agency says that over 60 millimetres of rain fell on the city during the storm.