The renowned Roman Colosseum leans on its south side and one side is 40 inches higher, as reported by archaeologists and specialists who work in restoration and improvements of the conditions of the Flavian amphitheater, one of the most visited monuments in Italy and the world.
A year ago scientists were aware of the traditional inclination of the amphitheater, hence control work began to reinforce the structure.
The specialists in charge of repairing the Coliseum, believe that vehicles, motorcycles, tour buses and public transport are the main causes of deterioration.
For two months a team of experts with sensors measured the behavior of the structure to confirm the causes of this bias and determine a possible intervention, they said.
One member of the research team, Giorgio Monti, believes that the 40 inches of altitude may be because the concrete bottom plate of the Coliseum presents a sharp internal division.
The Minister of Cultural Property in Italy, Lorenzo Ornaghi, explained in a Tuesday press conference the details of the recovery in conjunction with the Italian entrepreneur Diego de la Valle, who is currently providing funding for the project.
The Coliseum will not interrupt its activity and may be visited during the three years left to carry out these works.
The Roman Coliseum was declared in 1980 a World Heritage site by UNESCO. It is one of the most famous sites of classical antiquity, due to its history and conservation and built in the first century in the Italian capital, Rome.