Rome's icons under wraps: Renovations disrupt tourism
A list circulating on social media highlights the Rome monuments that are currently inaccessible to tourists. This is due to the renovation work underway in preparation for the Holy Year. The symbols of the Eternal City are fenced off and covered due to construction.
The level of irritation in Rome is growing day by day. Tourists from abroad, as well as those from Italy, are disappointed when they arrive in the Eternal City only to find its symbols "wrapped" — a phrase that has been circulating online for weeks.
Scaffolding instead of monuments
Everywhere you look, there are barriers, fences, scaffolding, closed streets, and 'no entry' signs. Tourists often remark upon arrival that this is the worst time to visit Rome they could have chosen.
Over 6,000 renovations, varying in scale, are currently taking place across the city. It is uncertain whether all will be completed by Pope Francis's inauguration of the Holy Year, set to take place on December 24. Next year, around 30 million pilgrims and tourists are expected to participate in this event.
Piazza Venezia has become a massive construction site for a metro station, where crowds of Romans and tourists squeeze through narrow pathways. Tall green silos and cranes obscure the view of the Altare della Patria. These works also significantly hinder access to the Via dei Fori Imperiali, the road leading to the Colosseum.
Scaffolding and fences obscure Bernini's fountain at Piazza Navona. Access to the Trevi Fountain has also been closed, and there is no water due to ongoing conservation work.
The Baroque monument has been fenced off with transparent panels. The latest addition is a viewing platform from which you can admire the fountain. Coins can still be tossed into a small pool set up below.
