Bimillenary Coliseum to be lit in blue & white

Visitors of the Coliseum will have the opportunity in the evening of December 5 to attend a particularly impressive and probably unique event of the ancient amphitheatre: it will be lit with the colours of Finland, blue and white–the colours of its flag.

The Centenary of Independence of Finland is being celebrated on December 6, and Italy, like many other countries in the world, celebrates the event that represents a historic achievement for the young Finnish republic in this original way so that the 2000 years old monument pays homage to a nation that achieved independence only 100 years ago.

The Finnish national colours represent the blue of the water of the thousands of lakes and the white of the winter snow in the country, as described by the poet Zacharias Topelius, when he designed the first flag ahead of the current one designed by artists Eero Snellman and Bruno Tuukkanen which was adopted in 1918.

Illumination is one of the many events that Finland has organised during this 2017, both at home and abroad, to celebrate its 100th independence anniversary. The official Suomi 100 programme (Finland 100) contains more than 5000 initiatives.

The lights will lit up at a surprise time, and the Coliseum will be illuminated throughout the evening of December 5th.