Rising up in the middle of Rome's busiest square, it is referred to by local traffic police as 'the doughnut' or the 'belly button' of the Eternal City.
The round concrete pedestal on which the dapper 'vigili' stand to direct traffic in Piazza Venezia, waving their white-gloved hands in an elegant display of mime, has been there since 1898.
Unfortunately, while it may have been easy to avoid for motorists in less congested times, nowadays having a 40-cm high lump of concrete sticking up in the middle of a major intersection is a recipe for disaster. At night, and at other quiet times when the 'doughnut' is not manned, careless drivers simply don't see it. Over the last ten years, the pedestal has been bashed 12 times.
Circling it with oil lamps and putting up barriers seemed to have no effect. Nor did painting it in ever more striking black and white stripes. But now city traffic authorities have the solution. A high-tech system of hydraulic pistons is being fitted underneath the pedestal, which will soon be able to rise up majestically out of the road when it is needed, but disappear into the road at other times.
The podium will be controlled from the police station which overlooks the piazza, the traffic hub of central Rome.
Work to install the new system, which has in the meantime disrupted traffic flow, is due to be completed by Friday and the disappearing doughnut will come officially into operation in April. Traffic police are said to be thrilled by the technological advance which will permit the tradition of Rome's last remaining pedestal to continue.
Angelo Giuliano, head of traffic police in the central district, has a team of 12 officers who volunteer for sessions directing traffic, seeing it as an honour. The pedestal has featured in several films, including Il Vigile starring late Italian comic actor Alberto Sordi as a traffic cop who caused havoc with his confused signals to cars.
"Climbing up there means representing this city in the whole world," Giuliano told Corriere della Sera. In fact, tourists frequently stop to photograph the officers conducting traffic like an orchestra, or even to stand on it themselves to be snapped pretending to do the same thing.
Romans themselves are a little less excited. Many frequent users of public transport see the presence of traffic police in Piazza Venezia as more of a hindrance than a help. "Traffic always comes to a standstill when they're there. I don't know why they don't just get some traffic lights," said Elena Labagnara, a 43-year-old frequent bus user.
