Giant mausoleum in Rome that held the remains of the emperor Augustus to be restored after decades of neglect
A nice podcast on the mausoleum can be found here (episode XIII).After decades of shameful neglect, the biggest mausoleum ever to be built by the ancient Romans is to be brought alive with a spectacular multimedia experience projected onto its 2,000-year-old walls.
The Mausoleum of Augustus, located in the centre of Rome just a stone’s throw from the Tiber, was constructed in 28BC and became the last resting place of the eponymous emperor, as well as his successors Nero and Tiberius.
An Italian telecommunications company has contributed six million euros for its restoration, with its director promising an elaborate multimedia show that will tell the story of Augustus and ancient Rome.
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The circular mausoleum once stood around 120ft high and had a diameter of nearly 300ft. It was topped by a 15ft-tall bronze statue of Augustus. It was converted into a fortress in the Middle Ages and then a bull-fighting ring in the 18th century.
It was made into a concert hall in the early 20th century before Mussolini ordered all modern additions to be stripped away, in a bid to associate himself with the greatness of Rome’s first emperor, whom he hoped to emulate.
