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Credit: Courtesy of Tod’s

Thanks in no small part to the considerable patronage of the Tod’s Group, Rome’s iconic Colosseum is seeing first hand the benefits of a little bit of work – not unlike Taylor Swift, who recently visited the erstwhile gladiatorial arena on the last leg of her new boyfriend publicity tour

Five years after CEO Diego Della Valle announced that Tod’s would be bankrolling the $37 million project in agreement with Rome’s archeological heritage department and two years after scaffolding was erected, the first phase of restoration has been completed on the northern and southern facades of the ancient amphitheater.

The efforts will now continue on the Colosseum’s passageways and subterranean vaults, and will no doubt uncover more historically significant artefacts like the ones discovered thus far, including a 60cm high low relief of a gladiator dating back to the building’s construction in the Flavian age (circa 70 – 80 A.D.) and 14th century reliefs depicting Christ on an alter.

Below, take a look at the first stages and fast facts of this mammoth undertaking to restore the historic site to something resembling its glory days, sans savage lion feeding sessions.

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13,000 photographs have been taken to document the restoration of Rome’s ColosseumCredit: Courtesy of Tod’s
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1,700kg of lime putty and inert aggregates in different colours have been used to install new pointing – the external parts of mortar joinsCredit: Courtesy of Tod’s
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10,150 square metres of travertine stone surface has been restoredCredit: Courtesy of Tod’s
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The Colosseum’s surfaces are being cleaned with nebulous water spray alternating with scrubbing using sorghum brushes to remove dirt depositsCredit: Courtesy of Tod’s
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The process of restoration also involves identifying and locating the need for conservative interventions on travertine stone and ironworkCredit: Courtesy of Tod’s
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Localised cleaning is carried out to remove deposits not pertaining to the original surfaceCredit: Courtesy of Tod’s
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The entire surface has been treated with a biocide to eliminate the threat posed by microorganisms and plantsCredit: Courtesy of Tod’s
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An event held this past weekend celebrated the completed first stage of restorationCredit: Courtesy of Tod’s
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Maestro Zubin Mehta directed the orchestra of the Accademia Teatro alla Scala with music by Rossini, Verdi and PucciniCredit: Courtesy of Tod’s
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At the dinner, held for 300 VIPs, Italy’s culture minister Dario Franceschini declared that the Colosseum will have “the possibility to do cultural events of the highest level. Of course we won’t do football matches.”Credit: Courtesy of Tod’s

Tile and cover image: Courtesy of Tod’s