The Roman Colosseum, one of the most iconic structures in the world, is the sight of some of the bloodiest battles between man and beast, history has ever seen. It has endured terrible times, such as World War. Its walls have remained standing through bombs, and yes, even souvenir-seeking tourists.

Yet, now it seems that it is following in the footsteps of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was discovered, about a year ago, that the South side of the Colosseum is sixteen inches lower than the North side. Many were worried that the Colosseum needed immediate attention, to prevent the world-wide icon from collapsing, but experts assure us that the damage does not spell out disaster for the Colosseum.

The Colosseum will be undergoing reconstruction, anyway that has been put off several times due to protests. The 30 million dollar project is being funded by the Tods shoe and leather goods company and will take about 2 ½ years to complete.

Way, way back…

The Colosseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheater, is nearly 2,000 years old and is considered to be the greatest example of Ancient Roman architecture. Around 79AD, when construction of the Colosseum was finished, the giant amphitheater was used as a center of entertainment. It was the venue for fierce gladiator battles and by the medieval era, a church was built into the Colosseum. In the 1600s, even a garden was planted in the Colosseum.

…And not so way back

Today, the Colosseum continues to be used for entertainment purposes. The Colosseum is a popular setting for concerts including those of Paul McCartney, Elton John, Billy Joel, and Ray Charles.

So what’s the problem now?

Experts believe that it may be a crack in the foundation of the Colosseum that is causing the tilt. The crack could be due to the vibration coming from cars and a nearby subway line. When the Leaning Tower of Pisa was closed because of its slant, engineers tried to fix the tower by gradually removing subsoil from one side of the Tower. It is not apparent whether this approach would work for the Colosseum.

The Colosseum is a great international treasure and it is important to preserve it for many generations to come. Luckily, the Romans were great architects. They built a building that has withstood the impact of history of two millennia and souvenir-seeking tourists; it doesn’t seem that much can hurt it.  Hopefully, this includes the problems it is facing today.