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In ancient cities, it isn’t unusual for the new to be continually built on top of the old. Rome, one of the most important cities in world history, is no exception. Important archaeological finds are often hiding right under the feet of modern Romans. In 1929, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini unearthed a major archaeological site as part of a campaign to link his regime with the glory and strength of the ancient Roman empire (1). The ruins of the Roman buildings were found twenty feet (6 m) below the current street level. Known as Largo di Torre Argentina, the complex contain four temples and part of the Theatre of Pompey. If the Theatre of Pompey rings a vague bell from your history or Latin classes, that’s probably because Julius Ceasar was assassinated on its steps on the Ides of March (March 15th), 44 BCE.
You might be wondering why I’m giving you a lesson in Italian history on a cat blog. It’s not just because it makes me feel like six years of Latin weren’t a total waste of time. As soon as Largo di Torre Argentina was uncovered, the many stray cats of Rome moved in to the newly unused space. The cats were soon followed by the gattare, or “cat ladies.” Gattare are an Italian tradition (2). The typical gattara is an older woman who sets out food for neighborhood cats (2). In some cities, the gattare are very organized, using volunteer programs to train new gattare and networking with each other to make sure the entire city is covered (2). The gattare who began feeding the cats at Largo di Torre Argentina, and eventually sterilizing and vaccinating them, got so organized that they started a cat sanctuary in 1994 right there in the ruins (3, 4).
Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary officially began with about 90 cats (3). It was common for locals to abandon their pets even if they were just going on vacation, and a pervasive sentiment that sterilization is cruel and unnatural meant a lot of unwanted kittens were put on on the street as well (3). So the number of cats was on the rise, but the resources at hand to care for them were not keeping pace. There was little money to pay for food and medications, as the gattare were paying for everything themselves (3). The only work and storage space was a small, low-ceilinged sort of cave accidentally created under the street by construction (3).
Circumstances have changed significantly for the sanctuary since other organizations and individual donors have made it possible for regular food and veterinary care to be the norm (3). However, tensions have arisen over the presence of a cat sanctuary in such an important historical site. Archaeologists have voiced concerns about the cats negatively affecting the conservation of the site and being and affront to the dignity of the ancient holy space (3, 4). Personally, I find the latter ridiculous and the former irrelevant. Removing the sanctuary would not get rid of the cats. Cats are going to go wherever they see fit. However, the National Archeological Department didn’t see it that way when they launched a campaign to evict the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary in 2012 (2, 3, 4). Petitions in favor of the sanctuary collected over 30,000 signatures, and no eviction took place (3, 4).
Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary has always struggled to exist inside an archaeological site, but they do so because they believe that the cats there need them. There can be no doubt that the organization has done incredible things for the cats of Largo di Torre Argentina. They take in cats of all ages and even take on the veterinary care of cats with chronic conditions, disabilities, and injuries (3, 5). The sanctuary now has a foster program for kittens and an adoption program for local and international adoptions. Cats can also be sponsored as a fun way to help the sanctuary out.
Cats live both in the now much-improved indoor space and outside in the ruins. There is a gift shop inside. The sanctuary is open daily from noon to 6 pm. The ruins are mostly off-limits to visitors, visible only from above. Rome’s mayor announced plans in 2019 to restore the ruins and make them visitor-friendly in time to open by 2021, thanks to $1.1 million in funding from the fashion house Bulgari (1). Given how 2020 has gone, though, who knows what will happen with that project. The ruins may remain the haunt of cats and cat ladies.
Largo di Torre Argentina is at the corner of Via Florida & Via di Torre Argentina in Rome, Italy. To learn more about Torre Argentina Roman Cat Sanctuary, visit http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/ and click on the icon for Largo di Torre Argentina. Please consider supporting the sanctuary if you are able. They also have a YouTube channel where you can meet some of the cats.
Works Cited
- Daley, J. (2019, March 5). Site where Julius Caesar was stabbed will finally open to the public. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/site-where-julius-caesar-was-stabbed-will-finally-open-public-180971613/
- Spiegel, J. (2017). Italy roundtable: Caesar’s cats. Italy Explained. https://italyexplained.com/italy-roundtable-caesars-cats/
- Torre Argentina Roman Cat Sanctuary. (n.d.). http://www.romancats.com/torreargentina/en/introduction.php
- Pasquale, M. (2018, May 9). This cat sanctuary in old Roman ruins is a must-visit. The Culture Trip. https://theculturetrip.com/europe/italy/articles/this-cat-sanctuary-in-old-roman-ruins-is-a-must-visit/
- Black, A. (n.d.). Torre Argentina (Roman cat sanctuary). Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/torre-argentina-roman-cat-sanctuary
Published September 13th, 2020
Updated October 3rd, 2020
