Rome’s Colosseum closes for the day after a worker falls to his death

By PAOLO SANTALUCIA and DAVID BILLER

ROME (AP) — Rome’s Colosseum, Italy’s most-visited monument, was closed to the public suddenly on Wednesday to mourn a worker who fell to his death overnight while helping install a new illumination project.

The 22-year-old man, Andrea Moretti, specialized in working at altitude on ropes. He had been installing cabling for the project that was expected to be completed next month and died inside the Colosseum, the archaeological site’s press office said.

Premier Giorgia Meloni said that the government was deeply shocked and saddened by the death and called for the cause to be determined as quickly as possible.

“Dying at the age of 22 is unacceptable — even more so when it happens in the workplace,” she said in a statement.

Authorities are working to determine the circumstances of Moretti’s death, the park’s statement said.

Representatives of Italy’s main union, CGIL, were on site after the death to request information about Moretti’s employer and contract and said that the closure of the monument was the least Rome authorities could do to honor his memory.

The Colosseum attracted 14.7 million visitors in 2024, according to Culture Ministry statistics. It topped the list of Italy’s most-visited monuments, followed by Florence’s Uffizi Galleries and the ancient ruins of Pompeii.

The Colosseum’s sudden closure on Wednesday caught thousands of tourists who had bought tickets and tours in advance by surprise. But many said they appreciated the gesture.

Colosseum authorities had allowed the first morning tours to go ahead as planned, with just the Colosseum’s second tier closed. But they then closed the entire monument to visitors after the first group had exited.

Rachel Townsand, a tourist from New Zealand, said that the closure was disappointing.

“But then after looking up what’s happened, then it’s understandable,” she said.

It wasn’t immediately clear when the Colosseum would reopen to the public.