Login « Locusts Plague Northern Italy | Home | Torino Winter Olympics - Bardonecchia »
Cobblestone Roads in Rome: The End of a Very Long Era
After
2,000 years, Rome will replace some of their cobblestone roads with
asphalt. Most of the stones to be replaced over the next few months
were laid down in the 16th and 17th centuries. Soon, even the ancient
Roman stones may be replaced in all but the pedestrian walkways and
piazzas.
The old cobblestones, known as “sampietrini” (sampietrini translates as little stones of St. Peter’s) were originally used in St. Peter’s Square.
Paving of the Via Delle Botteghe Oscure and stretches of roads that run along the Tiber River will begin in the fall. More roads will be paved over time, leaving only a small number of cobblestone walkways in the city. The cobblestones will be left in place in Piazza Venezia, a large square in the heart of Rome and the Fori Imperiali which connects the Coliseum with the forum.
What is driving this change? The stones are prone to potholes, replacements are difficult to produce, the existing stones are expensive to repair (only 8 people are trained to replace cobblestones) and the vibrations from cars and buses driving on the old roads damage historic monuments and palaces. The stones also pose a danger to scooters and high heels, especially when they are wet and become slippery.
Posted by Jackie on August 1, 2005
Trackback PingsTrackBack URL for Cobblestone Roads in Rome: The End of a Very Long Era entry:
http://www.amoretravelguides.com/mt-tb.cgi/102
Comments Post A Comment Form
