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

The man had been working on a new lighting installation in the iconic Roman amphitheater. Italian authorities said they were working on determining the circumstances of the accident.

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Italien Rom 2026 | Kolosseum nach tödlichem Arbeitsunfall geschlossen
Rome’s Colosseum is the largest amphitheater in the worldImage: Cecilia Fabiano/LaPresse/AP Photo/picture alliance

The Colosseum in Rome was closed on Wednesday after a worker fell to his death overnight.

Andrea Moretti, 22, died after falling while working on a new lighting installation.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she hoped that the cause of the accident would be clarified as soon as possible.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the news of the tragic death of Andrea Moretti, a skilled worker who lost his life last night following an accident at the Colosseum,” she said. “For a person to die at the age of 22 is unacceptable and even more so when it happens in the workplace.”

Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli described the incident as a “tragic event that has left us shocked and stunned.”

The Culture Ministry said “the second-tier section where the accident occurred” would be closed

Authorities were working on determining the circumstances of the accident, according to the statement.

The ministry said the site would be fully closed to the public for the day after all visitors leave.

The part of the site where the accident occurred had already been closed early on Wednesday.

What is Rome’s Colosseum?

The ancient Colosseum is the world’s largest amphitheater.

It was built in the first century under the Roman Empire. It was used to host gladiator fights, executions and animal hunts.

It is one of Rome’s most iconic sites and gets up to 20,000 visitors a day at peak times.

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Edited by: Sean Sinico

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