Rome experiences disorder due to renovations, with a anticipated influx of 35 million visitors approaching.
The city's historical heart has been transformed into a construction site, with teams working day and night on numerous projects related to infrastructure and restoration. Traffic, usually challenging, has become worse than ever.
The positive aspect is that, once completed, Rome is expected to be more stunning than before, equipped with a modernized metro system that will seamlessly transport tourists to popular attractions.
However, just a few weeks before a year-long Catholic celebration set to attract up to 35 million visitors, a significant portion of the restoration work remains incomplete.
The jubilee celebration is an event initiated by Pope Boniface VII in 1300 and held every 25 years since 1470. The event draws massive crowds of pilgrims to Rome and the Vatican, seeking forgiveness.
During the celebration, the "holy doors" of Rome's major basilica churches, typically sealed with cement, are opened. Visitors who pass through these doors and engage in spiritual activities receive plenary indulgences — forgiveness for their sins.
Ticking clock
The upcoming jubilee commences on Christmas Eve, December 24, with Pope Francis opening the holy door in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. It continues until January 6, 2026.
During this period, Rome, already Europe's most visited city, is projected to witness an unprecedented influx of tourists at a time when numerous Italian destinations struggle with overtourism.
The jubilee offers an opportunity for Italy's capital to upgrade its tourist attractions and facilities. The city has received $2 billion in special jubilee funding from the Italian state and an additional $3 billion from post-pandemic funds from the EU.
The disruption caused by the renovation process has been a source of frustration for locals and tourists alike. The sight of popular attractions shrouded in scaffolding and tarpaulins has often led to outrage on social media.
Some express concern that the work, including projects unrelated to the jubilee, may not be finished in time.
Numerous visitors have poked fun at the city by sharing videos of their travels, only to find one construction site after another.
Landmarks such as Piazza Navona, Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano, Ponte Sant’Angelo, Piazza Pia, Piazza Risorgimento, Piazza della Repubblica, and Piazaa dei Cinquecento are part of the extensive restoration plan.
Last month, a temporary pool erected before the under-restoration Trevi Fountain received criticism for the lackluster experience it offered visitors. A new paid entrance to the fountain has also become a contentious issue.
Piazza Venezia, one of Rome's most renowned squares, is currently a construction site for a new Line C metro station. Giant machinery is being used to dig down 85 meters and install reinforced concrete.
The station will extend 45 meters beneath the ground, with eight floors, each spanning 4,500 square meters.
In true Roman fashion, removing 66,000 cubic meters of earth is equally an archaeological exercise as it is a dig, adding complexity to the construction process. Any artifacts discovered during the dig will be displayed in the finished station.
‘Rome is enraged’
In the vicinity of the Vatican, another project is underway to create a pedestrian area specifically for the jubilee between Castel Sant’Angelo and St. Peter's Square.
The Rome mayor's office has confirmed to CNN that this area will be ready by Christmas Eve.
However, there are doubts about Rome's readiness to handle what's approaching.
“Rome is not prepared, it’s chaotic,” says Sylwia Wysocka, a journalist who has covered the Vatican and Italy for the Polish Press Agency (PAP) for over two decades.
“Romans are angry. I hear this sentiment every time I board a bus.”
Riccardo Abate, a guide who showcases Rome on his Vespa scooter, says that his company, Scooteroma, has found the traffic caused by the works particularly challenging.
“It’s been intense, it’s been chaotic, it’s been a bit frustrating — especially for everyday traffic,” he says. “Driving a car is no fun."
However, he adds, the jubilee deadline has encouraged the city to complete projects that might otherwise take longer to complete.
“Many of the works would have taken much longer without a deadline,” he concludes. And the “changes will mean that Romans will benefit from these improvements long after the jubilee, so the inconvenience is worth it.”
Eugenio Patanè, Rome's deputy mayor of mobility, states that regardless of the readiness of various parts of the city, it will be able to cope.
“Like all capitals, we are constantly under the pressure from tourism and frequent mega events,” he says. “Rome is a city that accepts these challenges and welcomes visitors, so big events don’t intimidate us. We know how to adapt to the pressure.”
Rome's mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, asserts that everything is progressing according to plan.
“Yes, we are working extremely hard for the Jubilee,” he tells CNN. “And all the construction sites that are supposed to be ready for the jubilee and finished by December will be finished by December — meaning there will be new attractions to admire in Rome next year.”
Pope Francis has urged for the spirit of forgiveness during the jubilee to extend past Rome, proposing that wealthier nations should forgive the loans of impoverished nations, and for authorities to grant clemency or amnesty to imprisoned individuals.
On December 26, Francis is set to become the inaugural pope to open a sacred door in a prison, doing so at Rome's Rebibbia detention facility.
The Vatican has planned a series of events in collaboration with various groups such as athletes and "digital evangelists and Catholic influencers," and has introduced a jubilee mascot named Luce, a cartoon pilgrim figure, to increase the church's connection with popular culture.
In the meantime, St. Peter's Basilica has teamed up with Microsoft to provide a selection of AI-powered services that enable visitors to appreciate its treasures more conveniently, whether remotely or on-site. A live webcam has also been set up to broadcast the grave of St. Peter.
This isn't Francis' first jubilee. During 2015-2016, he conducted an "extraordinary" jubilee of mercy, which commenced, unprecedentedly, with the opening of a door in the cathedral in the troubled Central African Republic.
That jubilee attracted approximately 21 million visitors to Rome, while the last ordinary jubilee in 2000 drew around 25 million visits to the Eternal City.
The predicted large crowds for this upcoming year may not deter non-religious tourists from visiting the city, especially since it's undergoing a renovation, revealing a fresh and cleaner appearance under its current veneer.
Recently, the fountain in front of Rome's Pantheon was reopened, offering a glimpse of the coming improvements. Restoration projects — including cleaning, waterproofing, and repairs to metal and stucco — have brought back the fountain's original hue, and the transformation is staggering.
As scooter tour guide Abate mentions, "There is never a poor time to visit Rome."
Antonia Lenhert contributed to this report
The anticipated influx of tourists during the jubilee celebration is expected to put a strain on Rome's restored attractions, as many landmarks like Piazza Navona and Ponte Sant'Angelo are still under renovation. Despite the ongoing construction, some visitors are already sharing humorous videos of encountering multiple construction sites.
In the midst of the renovation chaos, Rome is also preparing for the opening of a new Line C metro station at Piazza Venezia, which will extend 45 meters beneath the ground and stretch across eight floors. This ambitious project, embodying "true Roman fashion," will showcase any discovered artifacts in the finished station.
