Cultural Heritage sites conservation and management: the case of the Circus Maximus in Rome

The Circus Maximus in Rome (Italy) is the most famous ancient Roman chariot-racing circus, built along the alluvial valley between Palatine and Aventine hills, in the hearth of the historical city centre. Thanks to its exceptional size, it still represents the largest structure ever built in the history for entertainment. As soon as the Roman empire fell, the area suffered spoilation and disuse, changing the original use several times through the centuries. Starting from 2009, the site has been involved into a restoration and conservation project which includes multidisciplinary studies based on geophysical surveys, geotechnical investigations and instrumental monitoring of potentially vulnerable structures. The present experimental campaign, based on additional geophysical surveys, boreholes and geotechnical tests, will produce a systematic and detailed analysis of the underground conditions of the Circus Maximus area. The new findings will be used to support policies for a sustainable use of the area.