World-famous Roman mosaics at an imperial villa in Sicily are to be bathed in a new light.
Soft lighting will flood the building and allow cultural events in the evenings, officials said.
"One of the splendours of Roman art will be restored to its former glory," said art critic Vittorio Sgarbi, announcing a two-year restoration of the famed Villa del Casale.
An average of 1,000 people come daily to view the colourful mosaics, one of the most famous of which depicts what looks like bikini-clad females cavorting happily.
Work on the villa will also replace plexiglass roofs with more eco-friendly materials that will allow the mosaics to breathe healthier air, Sgarbi said.
The mosaics, which date to the 4th century AD, cover four halls of the sumptuous villa.
"The glory of this unique site will shine out anew," Sgarbi said.
Villa Casale became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, when the UN body noted that its mosaics "are the finest in situ in the Roman world".
