‘We’re not Disneyland’: Outrage in Rome over Airbnb ‘gladiator’ fights at Colosseum

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Rome
CNN
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The ancient Colosseum in Rome has witnessed some historic battles, with toga-clad crowds once packing the giant venue to watch gladiators duke it out against opponents including lions and baboons.

But its fighting days are apparently not over.

The 2,000-year-old venue is now the scene of a new epic clash – one emblematic of Italy’s current struggle to balance its growing post-Covid tourism industry with the needs of locals who feel under siege as their cities become uninhabitable tourist playgrounds.

On one side of the arena is vacation rental giant Airbnb and the Colosseum Archaeological Park, which oversees the ruined structure, one of Rome’s most visited attractions.

The two organizations have signed a $1.5 million deal to offer 16 tourists a chance to “unleash their inner gladiator” by booking a complimentary experience at the Colosseum as part of a tie-in with the recently released Paramount film “Gladiator II,” directed by Ridley Scott.

“You will feel the rush of adrenaline, the sand between your fingers and the weight of your armor. You will hear the echo of gladiators passing by in the catacombs of the Colosseum and the unmistakable clang of steel in its arena. You will see the reflection of the moon from the travertine stone through the sweat dripping down your face. You’ll be a gladiator,” it promises AirBnB ad.

On the other side is Rome’s cultural council, Massimiliano Smeriglio. He has asked the rental platform to withdraw the plan but keep the money, saying the campaign is an affront to the Colosseum’s historic stature.

“The issue is not the public-private relationship or the desire of big brands to support protection and conservation,” Smeriglio said in a statement shared with CNN. “But to avoid a degrading use of our historical-artistic heritage, especially when it comes to a monument that is unique in the world like the Colosseum.”

As part of the Airbnb promotion announced this week, would-be gladiators can sign up to the short-term rental platform from November 27 for a chance to be one of the 16 who qualify to take part in a ” mock battle” against each other in full gladiator garb in May 2025. The experience is free, but the winners must arrange their transportation and accommodation in the Eternal City.

Smeriglio is not alone in his opposition. The president of Rome’s cultural commission, Erica Battaglia, has warned that the UNESCO heritage site cannot be turned into a theme park.

“For what it represents, the Colosseum is a world heritage site and you have to move in the direction to protect it, but also to make it accessible to all and to prevent it from becoming a place of fun for a select few,” said she said in a statement Friday.

The city of Rome, which will host millions of visitors for the Vatican’s declared holy jubilee year of 2025, has struggled to strike a balance between managing its cultural offerings and turning the city into what some dismiss as a theme park.

The Trevi Fountain, which is undergoing a major renovation, will soon begin restricting tourist access and may soon begin selling tickets to visitors who want to line up to throw their coins into its waters for good luck.

‘We are not Disneyland’

Enzo Foschi, a politician for the center-left Democratic Party, which currently controls Rome, criticized the Colosseum Archaeological Park, which operates under the national culture ministry, for agreeing to the Airbnb deal at a time when many Italian cities are fighting overtourism .

“A publicity stunt by Airbnb, which, after effectively taking possession of the historic center, completely distorting it and turning it into a huge tourist park, now wants to ridicule the Colosseum,” he said on Friday. “We’re not in Disneyland, we’re in Rome. Every now and then someone forgets that.”

The Colosseum Archaeological Park, for its part, has stood firm and insisted that the event will take place outside the Colosseum’s opening hours and will not disrupt access to the site.

Its management said in a statement that the plan is actually to “enhance the amphitheater’s historical and cultural heritage through immersive activities in full respect of the monument, based on rigorous historical research.” Airbnb, when asked, referred all questions to the authorities in Rome.

“The collaboration aims to combine conservation, education and innovation to bring an ever-wider audience closer to the amphitheater’s cultural richness,” the statement said. The $1.5 million would go towards conservation and ongoing restoration of the site, it added.

The controversial collaboration is also supported by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party, Brothers of Italy. Federico Mollicone, a member of her party who heads the lower house of parliament’s culture commission, said he welcomes the innovative idea.

“The Colosseum archaeological park was wise to sign a memorandum of understanding with the historical reenactment associations that also guarantee tourists a gladiatorial show of high scientific quality coordinated by officials of the Ministry of Culture,” he said on Friday in response to Smeriglio’s criticism.

“We reiterate our absolute preference for the agreement between public and private culture, through partnerships or sponsorships, provided they support initiatives of scientific and cultural value approved by the Ministry of Culture.”