The Colosseum fell into serious disrepair after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. During the 12th century, the Frangipane and Annibaldi families repurposed the arena to function as their fortress. In the late 15th century, Pope Alexander VI permitted the Colosseum to be used as a quarry. After centuries of neglect, preservation efforts began in earnest in the 19th century and a state-funded restoration took place in the 1990s.
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