ROME -- The restoration work to the capital’s Spanish Steps, a key landmark of The Eternal City, has now finished, and the stairway was reopened for public use Thursday.

 The grand stairway of 135 steps leading up from Piazza di Spagna, arguably the most famous square in Rome, to the Trinità dei Monti church, have been successfully restored after almost four months of restoration work.

 The restoration process began May 30, 2016, and the steps were blocked off from the public for the duration of that period. The barriers were finally taken away Thursday.

 “This is a very important day for our city, and for us Romans. I am delighted to be here as mayor representing the citizens of Rome. The works have now been completed and from tomorrow the Spanish Steps will reopen to the public and will be in use once more. Thanks to Bulgari, the superintendence and the workers,” said the mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, in her speech during the inauguration of the restored steps, Wednesday.

 “To avoid improper uses of the stairway and its degeneration, it will be forbidden to camp out on the steps, but while still not impeding their use. There will just be a more attentive monitoring of them by the officers. I do not think that they will be closed at night,” concluded Raggi.

 nkd