Italy launches international search for the Colosseum’s new director

January 16, 2017

As already stated in some of our previous blog articles, Italy is definitely doing its best to enhance the timeless beauty of its many, many monuments and works of art. Many of them are currently undergoing a renovation like never experienced before, and all will be promoted in a brand new way: Italy knows that tourism, more than anything else, is the key to its economy.

Therefore it’s not surprising to discover that the Italian Government has recently launched an international search for the new director of Rome’s Colosseum – possibly the most famous archaeological site in the entire world.

The position is alluring, considering that the ancient Roman amphitheater attracts up to five million visitors every year. Having been plagued for years by mismanagement, maintenance problems and long queues, the artifact’s beauty and value definitely needs an enhancement.

The new director will have to deal with tourists trying to take away pieces of the old amphitheater and daub their names in felt pen, or even scratch their initials on the old walls.

The position offered has a salary of around 150,000 euros per year, according to the Culture Minister Dario Franceschini. Franceschini also announced that the Colosseum will be part of a new archaeological area in Rome that will include the Palatine Hill, where Roman emperors used to build their palaces, and the ancient Roman Forum.

Italy’s culturale heritage sector is probably the main richness of the country and needs a broader shake-up to maintain the country in its predominant position of tourism attraction.

In the meantime, other professionals have already been appointed as general directors of many great sites in Italy: James Bradburns, a British curator, for the Pinacoteca di Brera – the most important art gallery in Milan, containing works by Rubens, Titians, Tintoretto, Caravaggio and Raphael; Eike Schmidt, a German art historian, for the worldwide famous Uffizi Gallery in Florence, home of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Adoration of the Magi” and Titian’s “Venus of Urbino”.

Minister Dario Franceschini has stated that the Colosseum’s new director is expected to “add value to the world’s most important archaeological area” and will have a greater control on the finances of the archaeological site, including the revenue brought in by ticket sales. In general, Italy’s intention is to give its new directors a lot of autonomy in their job: "It's a slow process, which is moving forward across the country at different speeds, but one that's bringing results. Greater autonomy has brought many improvements, both in terms of the number of visitors and in the quality of services.”

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