Roman archaeologists discovered a white-marble Ancient Roman staircase which supposably led to some unknown major building. The discovery was made in the middle of Piazza Venezia, during excavations for a new subway station.

Only a ten-meter fragment of the staircase, with marble steps, inset into pink granite and travertine, was found. However, as the Rome Archaeological Superintendent Angelo Bottini comments, this is an important and an unexpected finding, because it was not known to specialists and it might have served as an entrance to some important place. Alongside the stairs they found remains of brickwork pillars, which might have collapsed during an ancient earthquake.

One of the 30 stations on Rome's new C metro line is being built at Piazza Venezia at the moment. All the artefacts and monuments found during the excavations will be displayed at the station.
2008.04.28