Rome is known for its street cats and for its archaeological sites. When the two come together there are problems as the cats and the tourists who come to see and feed them are damaging to the ancient monuments. The Area Sacra of Largo Argentina, an archaeological site in downtown Rome consisting of four Republican era temples is also the site of a very long standing but unofficial cat shelter. According to an article in The New York Times (“Strays Amid the Ruins Set Off a Culture Clash”, by Elisabetta Povoledo. November 8, 2012), when the shelter recently applied for a permit to install a toilet, it came to official notice and the Culture Ministry is now trying to close it down. Whether the shelter remains or is closed, there will still be cats at this and other Roman sites. Umberto Broccoli, Rome’s superintendent for culture acknowledges that “the cats of Rome are by definition as ancient as the marble capitals they lounge on”. Can the preservation of the cultural heritage prevail when the cats of Rome are seen as being equally important?
When It’s Cats Versus Monuments
