Climb the column of MARCUS AURELIUS and take a look at the work and the restorers working on it

When it was erected at the end of the second century after death on what was then Via Flaminia, now Via del Corso, Marcus Aurelius' column towered high above the surrounding buildings. After almost 2,000 years of intense history, the city around it has grown, but the column continues to look down on the nearby Palazzo Chigi, the seat of the Prime Minister's office. The Column of Marcus Aurelius is an honorary monument that Commodus had built for his father to honor his triumphs in battles against the Germanic peoples. The two military campaigns are depicted with a winged victory marking the end of the first battles and the beginning of the second part of the story. The column itself is 100 Roman feet high, that's almost 30 meters, but with 12 meter base and the statue of St. Paul at the top, it reaches 46 meters. It is made up of 18 marble drums where 116 are depicted in relief friezes, in 20 spiral turns over a length of more than 110 meters. These depict dramatic moments of war, battles, army marches, sieges of fortifications and the subjugation of enemy populations. Well known is the miracle of the rain which saves the Roman army thirsty during a siege. There are also 59 depictions of the Emperor. This is Emperor Marcus Aurelius who always stands out because he is larger than the other figures and above all because of his beard and curly hair. The column was in very poor condition. Its entire surface was covered with incrustations caused by alterations, deposits and smog. Significant consolidation work was carried out followed by cleaning. Over the centuries the column has been damaged by several earthquakes which caused the drums to rotate before stabilizing. At the end of the 16th century it was included in the Renovatio Urbi's works conceived by Pope Sixtus V and restored by Domenico Fontana. At that time the bas-reliefs on the base were removed and the statue of St. Paul was placed on top, replacing that of Marcus Aurelius which had been lost over time. The current restoration makes use of innovative technologies. Using laser instruments a selective controlled method has allowed us to intervene on such a delicate surface with the selective removal of all the patinas, thus preserving the skin of the work which preserves and also returns to us the signs of processing of the marble. Seeing it now so intimately with all these details that you couldn't even imagine is truly exciting. For me it's a great privilege to get to know the column up close and to be able to tell the story of how this unique monument is being restored thanks in part to funding from the European Union. The restoration of Marcus Aurelius' column is mainly financed through PNRR funds, an investment of approximately two millions of euros which in addition to structural and restoration works also includes a new lighting system. The whole project is expected to be completed by 2026.