A "maximum security" regime, with extra checks on visitors, has been activated around Rome's Colosseum as part of precautionary measures against terrorism.
"The area of the Colosseum has been placed under a maximum security regime," a police statement said, indicating that access to the site will be regulated by screening gates manned by police officers.
The fact that the area has been fully pedestrianised for the summer period should help controls, police said, adding that security had been stepped up also in Via del Corso, a central shopping avenue.
Along with the nearby Roman Forum, the Colosseum is Italy's most popular tourist site, attracting more than 6.5 million visitors last year, according to ministry of culture data.
In November, after Islamic State strikes in Paris, US authorities said St Peter's Basilica in Rome, and the Duomo cathedral and La Scala opera house in Milan were also at risk of terrorist attacks.
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At the moment, the US State Department says there is a "risk of potential terrorist attacks throughout Europe, targeting major events, tourist sites, restaurants, commercial centres and transportation."
