The fashion house Gucci will pay to have a Roman execution site cleared and renovated, continuing a trend in private funding for public monuments in Rome.
Gucci’s money will restore the Tarpeian Rock, on the Capitoline Hill. The cliff atop the rock was used to execute traitors, murderers and rebels, who were hurled headfirst from the 25-foot height. The project will clear trash, add lights and re-open paths to the top.
In recent years, other companies have paid for restoration of the Colosseum, the Spanish steps and the Trevi Fountains among others. Since Rome’s city government has been cash-strapped for years, many city monuments have lacked maintenance.
