Part of Rome’s 13th-century Torre dei Conti, a medieval tower near the Colosseum, collapsed on Monday, injuring three construction workers and trapping another beneath the rubble.
The historic structure, closed to the public since 2006, was in the midst of a major restoration expected to finish next year.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene and continued rescue operations amid fears of further structural failure.
Dramatic footage captured chunks of masonry crashing down as firefighters narrowly escaped a secondary collapse.
Once a 60-metre-high fortress built for the powerful Conti family, the tower lost much of its height to medieval earthquakes and was later reinforced in the 17th century. Authorities said one of its vital buttresses was destroyed in the incident, leaving the ancient landmark in a critically unstable condition.
Shock in Rome as section of mediaeval landmark Torre di Conti collapses
pic.twitter.com/snGEnQN0L5— Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) November 3, 2025
