Ruins of Ancient Nero’s Theater Discovered under Garden of Future Four Seasons near Vatican

A fresco is seen on a wall in the excavation site of the ancient Roman emperor Nero's theater, 1st century AD, during a press preview, in Rome, Wednesday, July 26, 2023. (AP)
A fresco is seen on a wall in the excavation site of the ancient Roman emperor Nero's theater, 1st century AD, during a press preview, in Rome, Wednesday, July 26, 2023. (AP)
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Ruins of Ancient Nero’s Theater Discovered under Garden of Future Four Seasons near Vatican

A fresco is seen on a wall in the excavation site of the ancient Roman emperor Nero's theater, 1st century AD, during a press preview, in Rome, Wednesday, July 26, 2023. (AP)
A fresco is seen on a wall in the excavation site of the ancient Roman emperor Nero's theater, 1st century AD, during a press preview, in Rome, Wednesday, July 26, 2023. (AP)

Rome’s next luxury hotel has some very good bones: Archaeologists said Wednesday that the ruins of Nero’s Theater, an imperial theater referred to in ancient Roman texts but never found, have been discovered under the garden of a future Four Seasons Hotel steps from the Vatican.

Archaeologists have excavated deep under the walled garden of the Palazzo della Rovere since 2020 as part of planned renovations on the frescoed Renaissance building.

The palazzo, which takes up a city block along the broad Via della Conciliazione leading to St. Peter’s Square, is home to an ancient Vatican chivalric order that leases the space to a hotel to raise money for Christians in the Holy Land.

The governor general of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, Leonardo Visconti di Modrone, confirmed during a news conference announcing the archaeological discovery that the incoming hotel chain was the Four Seasons.

News reports have said the hotel is expected to be open in time for the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee, when an estimated 30 million people and pilgrims are expected to flock to Rome.

Officials hailed the findings from the excavation as “exceptional,” given they provide a rare look at a stratum of Roman history from the Roman Empire through to the 15th century. Among the discoveries: 10th century glass colored goblets and pottery pieces that are unusual because so little is known about this period in Rome.

Marzia Di Mento, the site's chief archaeologist, noted that previously only seven glass chalices of the era had been found, and that the excavations of this one site turned up seven more.

In addition, archaeologists found marble columns and gold-leaf decorated plaster, leading them to conclude that the Nero's Theater referred to in texts by Pliny the Elder, an ancient Roman author and philosopher, was indeed there, located at the site just off the Tiber River.

Officials said the portable antiquities would be moved to a museum, while the ruins of the theater structure itself would be covered again after all studies are completed.



Dubai Culture Celebrates Winners of 3rd Dubai Festival for Youth Music

The competition featured 10 categories with intense rivalry among the finalists. WAM
The competition featured 10 categories with intense rivalry among the finalists. WAM
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Dubai Culture Celebrates Winners of 3rd Dubai Festival for Youth Music

The competition featured 10 categories with intense rivalry among the finalists. WAM
The competition featured 10 categories with intense rivalry among the finalists. WAM

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has crowned the winners of the third Dubai Festival for Youth Music during a ceremony hosted at Etihad Museum, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported Thursday.

The festival is geared toward elevating the local music sector, discovering emerging talent, inspiring them to pursue their creative passion, and contribute to strengthening the cultural and creative industries, WAM said.

The closing ceremony was attended by Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture, Fatma Al Jallaf, Acting Director of the Performing Arts Department at Dubai Culture, and poet Dr. Aref Alshaikh, who was honoured with the ‘Music Personality of the Year’ award in recognition of his longstanding literary contributions and influential role in enriching the local cultural landscape.

The event also welcomed the festival’s jury members, including composer Mohammad Malulla, maestro Fadel Hamidi, and artist Jasem Mohamed, WAM said.
The competition featured 10 categories with intense rivalry among the finalists, who unleashed their creativity through captivating musical and vocal performances. These were eagerly followed by the jury and audience, showcasing diverse skills in singing, music composition, instrumental performance, and more.