German project to cover Verona Arena

(ANSA) - Milan, January 31 - A group of German firms has won the international competition for ideas to cover Verona's ancient Roman Arena when it rains. The RTI, SBP & GMP companies from Stuttgart and Berlin came up with a structure that can stretch canvas over the arena and then be folded back to one side when no longer needed. Mayor Flavio Tosi said that the "cover will be in place" in three years with the necessary will if all the green lights come through. The next moves will be by the superintendency and the culture ministry. At a presentation of the top three projects in Milan on Tuesday, Tosi said the aim was not to keep the rain off the audience during opera performances and concerts, but to protect the monument.
    "Rain is its main enemy," he said.
    "It digs down and causes collapses. Just look at what happened at Pompeii," he added, referring to a wall that collapsed at the ancient Roman city near Naples last week.
    The international competition for the Arena's cover was funded by Calzedonia, an Italian fashion firm specialised in socks, underwear and swimwear.