Italy to open Colosseum on June 1

The Colosseum in Rome, Italy’s most visited tourist site, will reopen on June 1 after being closed for more than two months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With over 7 million visitors a year, the Colosseum is one of Rome’s major tourist attractions. The Flavian amphitheatre, which is listed as world heritage, “will finally reopen to the public, under the banner of accessibility, welcome and above all, safety,” according to a statement from the archaeological site.

The Colosseum will reopen on Monday “with adequate health protection for staff and visitors” such as masks and temperature measurement, secure routes, compulsory reservations and modified opening hours to avoid crowds during rush hours.

For the occasion, it will also be illuminated in Italian colours, according to official sources on Tuesday.

Italy has registered a total of 230,555 confirmed cases since the start of the epidemic, and 32,995 deaths. However, the country recorded 78 new deaths on Tuesday, the lowest number since March 2.