Japanese Investor to Restore Ancient Roman Pyramid
A Japanese businessman has agreed to invest around one million euros ($1.3 million) to restore a 2,000-year-old Roman pyramid in the Italian capital, La Repubblica daily reported on Thursday.
Yuzo Yagi, a fashion business owner from Osaka, is due to sign the agreement later this month and work on the pyramid, which was built in 13 AD as a tomb for Roman magistrate Gaius Cestius is set to start in April, officials said.
"His dream is to leave a mark in our country. Last year, he visited the pyramid and was struck by how remarkable it was," Rita Paris, who manages the monument on behalf of the state, was quoted as saying.
Yagi's only request is for a plaque with his name on it near the monument.
The project will include the use of probes to determine whether there are any secret chambers built into the 36-metre (118-foot) high pyramid after recent ultrasonic testing found some gaps in the structure.
Like the Colosseum, which is also preparing for a major restoration project next year, the pyramid is at the center of a busy road junction.
Source: Agence France Presse
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