After years of closure due to Metro C construction sites, one of the most striking overlooks in the historic center, adjacent to the Colosseum, is finally returning to citizens. Inaugurated today is Belvedere Cederna, a regenerated space that is not just a viewpoint but a living tribute to one of the fathers of Italian environmentalism.
The ceremony was attended by Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, Councillor for Agriculture, Environment and Waste Cycle Sabrina Alfonsi, and CarMe project coordinator Walter Tocci. Alongside them were Cederna’s children Camilla, Giulio and Giuseppe to remember the intellectual and founder of Italia Nostra who spent so much on the protection of the capital’s cultural and natural heritage.
Belvedere Cederna: a vegetation restoration in the name of sustainability
The heart of the intervention involved the redevelopment of the slope and green areas bordering the splendid overlook of the Imperial Fora. Gardeners from the San Sisto Garden Service worked to secure the existing trees and enrich the area with new essences, all characterized by strong drought resistance. Among the main botanical innovations and recoveries carried out are: the large Lantana camara located by the “fountain of the niche” rescued and pruned in addition to specimens of Phillirea latifolia and pomegranate that have sprung up spontaneously; a garden enriched with mastic tree, strawberry tree, lavender, viburnum and oleander; pots with five olive trees and ten lemon trees that give the Belvedere a typically Mediterranean character.
New furniture and accessibility
Not only plants but also a renewed livability: the area has been equipped with six new benches strategically placed along the overlook, allowing walkers to pause and admire the archaeological area of the Imperial Fora from a privileged and curated perspective.
The Cederna Belvedere thus becomes once again a key part of Rome’s urban park system, combining historical memory with contemporary landscaping.
