In Italy, there is public outrage over the Colosseum's state administration's permission for the American company Airbnb to rent the ancient Roman architectural monument for two days of advertising.
Transmits to UNN with a link to Wired and Spiegel.
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Online accommodation provider Airbnb has rented the Colosseum from the Italian state for two nights for $1.5 million (over 1.4 million euros) to
Hold a PR campaign called Gladiatorial Experience.
The event is scheduled to take place on May 7 and 8, 2025: it is expected to allow 16 participants, divided into eight pairs, to fully immerse themselves in the atmosphere of ancient Rome. The event is free of charge, but requires booking through the Airbnb website.
But local civic initiatives are outraged by the American company's project.
The initial indignation grew into a real uprising against the Airbnb gladiators - now the Colosseum's state administration is accused of betraying all its promises to regulate mass tourism.
The Association of Residents of the Historic Center of Rome, calls Airbnb's PR performance “shameful” because it “contributes to the destruction of history and human lives.
Others complain about the commercialization of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Airbnb claims that it wants to improve Europe's cultural heritage, a project in which the platform has already invested nearly €10 million in restoration and donations. The agreement will actually serve the Colosseum to reconstruct its museum grounds.
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The famous Colosseum in Rome is one of the most prominent cultural monuments. The Flavian Amphitheater (as it was called by the ancient Romans) was built in 80 AD. The Colosseum operated from 80 to 404, mainly as a place for gladiatorial fights, spectacular animal battles, and public executions.
In addition to gladiatorial battles, the Colosseum also hosted naval battles. It was an amazing show, for which the arena was flooded and detailed reconstructions of warships were used. Preparation required a lot of investment and scope, so sea battles were held only in the Colosseum.
Around the 8th century, the Colosseum was abandoned and was crumbling. Building materials for other buildings were taken from it. Until now, marble and some stones of the amphitheater adorn St. Peter's Cathedral, Lateran Basilica, and Palazzo Venezia.