Standing 154 feet tall, the column of Marcus Aurelius is located in the Piazza Colonna and intricately decorated with gruesome scenes of warfare
Built between 180 and 193 C.E., the column depicts the battles of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, with more than 2,000 highly detailed figures spiraling around the shaft.
For decades, restorers have relied on small brushes and gentle tools to clean historic landmarks, but now some are turning to high-tech methods like lasers.
In Rome, conservators are using short-pulse lasers to clean the Column of Marcus Aurelius, a 154-foot-tall Carrara marble monument in the Piazza Colonna outside the prime minister’s residence. Built between 180 and 193 C.E., the column has been restored only a few times, most recently in the 1980s, and this project marks a new approach.
Working from scaffolding around the column, restorers use hand-held lasers to deliver concentrated bursts of heat, lifting decades of smog and grime from the marble. Traditional methods complement the lasers, including sponges, water, chemical wraps, and plaster applied with spatulas to repair gaps. The team also plans to refurbish the spiral staircase that leads to the top, providing panoramic views of the city. The entire project is expected to cost about $2.3 million, funded through European Union post-pandemic recovery loans and grants.
The column features a detailed spiral relief depicting Emperor Aurelius’ battles, with more than 2,000 figures—from soldiers and horses to gods and prisoners. The dramatic scenes include women being grabbed and enslaved, offering vivid insights into Roman life and warfare. Researchers note that the frieze provides almost photographic detail of the Roman army and society.
Aurelius appears multiple times along the column, which spirals 23 times. The original statue of Aurelius was replaced with St. Paul by Pope Sixtus V in 1589. Figures near the top are larger than those at the bottom, guiding viewers through the story scene by scene, according to restorer Valentin Nitu.
