Workers struggle to makes repairs after Roman Colosseum vandalized

ABOVE: See how restorers at the Roman Colosseum are working to repair the ancient structure after a letter “K” was carved into the walls 

Restorers worked on the Colosseum in Rome on Wednesday to repair the damage caused by a Russian tourist who carved a big letter “K” onto a wall of the ancient structure last week.

Sonia Lanzelotti, one of a team of restorers who work daily to maintain the site, used reddish-yellow stucco to cover up the scratching.

It was mid-morning last Friday when a Colosseum worker spotted a 42-year-old Russian tourist using a stone to scratch out a large letter “K”, 25 centimetres high (10 inches), and then beside it, smaller letters of an entire name – “Ketreia”.

Italian authorities said the Russian tourist has been fined 20,000 euros (25,000 US dollars) for the damage, and given a suspended sentence of four years in prison.

Lanzelotti painted with a small brush and then used a tiny sponge to gently pat down the wall.

“I am repairing the damage using stucco on the wall with various inserts of terracotta that are yellow and red, trying to get as close as possible to the colour of the original bricks, with the base of lime plaster. And then I am doing a final light veil covering with watercolour paint as a final touch,” she explained.

Union leaders, citing recent acts of vandalism, have complained about the lack of personnel to properly monitor Rome‘s archaeological treasures with increasing numbers of visitors seeking to leave their trace on antiquity, causing incalculable damage.

The walls around the edge of the Colosseum are covered with engraved names that were made by visitors when the Colosseum was left open.

Now there is a metal barrier around the outside and only people with tickets can get in.

But despite the closed circuit cameras and vigilant custodians, there are still people from every corner of the globe who attempt to leave a mark.

This was the fifth incidence of vandalism by foreign tourists at the Colosseum this year.

Construction of the Colosseum began in 70 A.D. under the Roman Emperor Vespasian and was opened in 80 AD under his son Titus.