Rome reopens Belvedere Antonio Cederna to tourists and residents.Rome authorities on Monday reopened a terrace with panoramic views of the Colosseum following a 12-year closure necessitated by the construction of the Metro C subway line.The newly renovated viewpoint, overlooking the Basilica of Maxentius in the Roman Forum, was inaugurated by Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri and the city's environment councillor Sabrina Alfonsi. The terrace is named after Antonio Cederna (1921-1996), a prominent Italian intellectual whose children were present at the inauguration. Cederna dedicated his life to historic environmental and cultural battles for the capital, including advocating for a pedestrian area around the Colosseum and the preservation of the Appian Way. Belvedere Cederna The Belvedere Cederna renovation project redeveloped the terrace's green spaces, introducing five olive trees and 10 lemon trees, along with six new benches. The terrace, accessible via the Clivus Acilio, sits above Via dei Fori Imperiali which was built as part of Mussolini's plans to connect the Colosseum with Piazza Venezia. Originally called Via dell'Impero, the street was created by bulldozing a path through the Velia hill - a spur between the north side of the Palatine Hill and the Oppian Hill - and was inaugurated on 28 October 1932 on the tenth anniversary of the March on Rome. Today the grand street is the focus of new works as part of the Carme project, an ambitious urban planning initiative aimed at creating a New Archeological Walk by linking various ancient sites in the central archeological area into a cohesive, pedestrian-friendly network. Just behind the Cederna terrace is another jewel of the capital, the Renaissance-era Villa Rivaldi, soon to be restored by the Italian culture ministry and the Lazio Region. "We are working to transform the city and enhance its unique characteristics", Gualtieri said, referencing the "redevelopment of Via dei Fori Imperiali, where there's no going back in time, but rather a move forward". Pine trees Alfonsi paid tribute to Cederna's "key role in shaping public debate on the environment and culture," before providing an update on the pine tree situation on the street below the terrace. The city recently cut down 12 umbrella pines along Via dei Fori Imperiali, following the collapse of three trees, after tests showed they were at risk of falling. "They will be replaced, and there will also be an increase to compensate for those removed over the years" - Alfonsi said - "There won't just be pine trees, but also pomegranate trees and other species thanks to the Carme project, which includes new plantings." Photo Roma Capitale

Rome authorities on Monday reopened a terrace with panoramic views of the Colosseum following a 12-year closure necessitated by the construction of the . The newly renovated viewpoint, overlooking the Basilica of Maxentius in the Roman Forum, was inaugurated by Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri and the city's environment councillor Sabrina Alfonsi. The terrace is named after Antonio Cederna (1921-1996), a prominent Italian intellectual whose children were present at the inauguration. Cederna dedicated his life to historic environmental and cultural battles for the capital, including advocating for a pedestrian area around the Colosseum and the preservation of the . The Belvedere Cederna renovation project redeveloped the terrace's green spaces, introducing five olive trees and 10 lemon trees, along with six new benches. The terrace, accessible via the Clivus Acilio, sits above Via dei Fori Imperiali which was built as part of Mussolini's plans to connect the Colosseum with Piazza Venezia. Originally called Via dell'Impero, the street was created by bulldozing a path through the - a spur between the north side of the Palatine Hill and the Oppian Hill - and was inaugurated on 28 October 1932 on the tenth anniversary of the . Today the grand street is the focus of new works as part of the Carme project, an ambitious urban planning initiative aimed at creating a by linking various ancient sites in the central archeological area into a cohesive, pedestrian-friendly network. Just behind the Cederna terrace is another jewel of the capital, the Renaissance-era , soon to be restored by the Italian culture ministry and the Lazio Region. "We are working to transform the city and enhance its unique characteristics", Gualtieri said, referencing the "redevelopment of Via dei Fori Imperiali, where there's no going back in time, but rather a move forward". Alfonsi paid tribute to Cederna's "key role in shaping public debate on the environment and culture," before providing an update on the pine tree situation on the street below the terrace. The city recently along Via dei Fori Imperiali, following the collapse of three trees, after tests showed they were at risk of falling. "They will be replaced, and there will also be an increase to compensate for those removed over the years" - Alfonsi said - "There won't just be pine trees, but also pomegranate trees and other species thanks to the Carme project, which includes new plantings." Photo Roma Capitale