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Laser technology renews Rome’s ancient column of Marcus Aurelius
Italian conservators have embarked on an ambitious restoration of the Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome, using laser technology to carefully remove centuries of grime from the monument’s marble surface. This marks the first major restoration of the ancient landmark in more than forty years and the most extensive use of laser cleaning ever applied to an ancient site in Italy.
Laser precision redefines conservation
The team of specialists is using short-pulse laser beams to delicately strip away layers of pollution that have dulled the marble’s original whiteness. According to lead restorer Marta Baumgartner, the lasers not only produce faster results than traditional methods but also ensure minimal damage to the marble’s surface and fine details. Additional techniques, including chemical wraps and resin applications, are used to repair erosion and cracks caused by time and weather.
A historic monument to imperial warfare
Standing nearly 47 meters tall in Rome’s Piazza Colonna, the column was constructed between A.D. 180 and 193 to honor Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his military campaigns along the Danube frontier. Its intricate spiral relief depicts over two thousand carved figures soldiers, civilians, and deities illustrating scenes of battle and conquest. Over the centuries, erosion has worn away many of the fine facial expressions and delicate carvings that once animated the stone, but restorers say the monument’s storytelling artistry remains mesmerizing even up close.
European funding enables revival
The restoration, valued at around two million euros, is financed through the European Union’s post-pandemic recovery fund. Work began in April and is expected to conclude by June. The column has undergone several restorations since its erection, the earliest recorded under Pope Sixtus V in the late sixteenth century, when a statue of St. Paul replaced the original figure of Emperor Marcus Aurelius atop the monument. Today, the column stands as one of Rome’s most enduring symbols of imperial power, facing the seat of the Italian Prime Minister and surrounded by key government buildings.
