Italy’s “Ancient” Hilltop Theater Convicted as a Grand Forgery

Franco Malosso, who also used the alias Von Rosenfranz, built a fan-shaped structure on protected woodland in the Berici Hills near Arcugnano, Veneto. Marketed as “Anfiteatro Berico” and other names, the venue was presented as a 2,000-year-old Greek theater. In fact, the 54,000-sq-ft building was erected by a local firm with newly quarried stone from Puglia, cement and polystyrene-capped walls. Malosso instructed workers to “make it look old,” adding artificially aged columns, plaster statues and a decorative pool that had no maritime relevance.

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Prosecutors charged Malosso with forging works of art, unauthorized building works and damaging the UNESCO-protected landscape. He was convicted in 2019, lost appeals in 2020 and at the Corte di Cassazione. The supreme court upheld a sentence of 28 months jail, a €3,000 fine and €3,500 in legal fees. Lt. Col. Giuseppe Marseglia noted that Italian law now allows forgery sentences of up to five years.

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Archaeologists called the scheme “diabolical.” Darius Arya, director of Ancient Rome Live, pointed to the modern pool and cement columns as red flags for anyone with basic historical knowledge. He warned that demolition would likely require costly excavation funded by taxpayers, a prospect the mayor of Arcugnano has said he will not finance. Peter Matthaes, director of Milan’s Museo di Arte e Scienza, said the case reflects a broader fascination with forgeries.

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• “Just the idea of it is insane,” — Darius Arya

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• “Why was there a pool of water there, there were no maritime performances,” — Darius Arya

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• Site size: ~54,000 sq ft.

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• Visitor pricing (local media): €12 for out-of-town guests, €40 for locals, €600 for private 45-minute tours.

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• TripAdvisor: eight five-star reviews praising the “enchanting” experience.

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• Penalties: 28-month imprisonment, €3,000 fine, €3,500 legal-fee award.

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The Berici Hills are part of a UNESCO-protected landscape that includes genuine prehistoric caves and Roman sites such as the nearby Teatro Berga. Northern Italy’s authentic Roman amphitheaters, like the Verona arena, underscore why a fabricated “Greek” theater was especially egregious to scholars.

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Authorities have not disclosed the total number of paying visitors, leaving the scale of the financial fraud unclear. While eight TripAdvisor reviews exist, the broader visitor count remains unknown.

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The court ordered demolition, but the structure remains overgrown and partially visible. Removal will require excavation of modern foundations, a process that could involve significant public expense. Local officials have indicated they will not allocate taxpayer funds for the demolition, leaving the timeline and financing of the teardown uncertain.

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