Cheaper street lights put Romans in a dark mood

Rome

AS far as guided tours of central Rome go, this one was a downer. "Look over there, at that Virgin and Child, with that ugly lamp above it, casting such a harsh outline," said Nathalie Naim, a municipal council member, pointing to a framed image on a wall.

Near the Colosseum, another outrage. "This used to produce a light with a golden halo, that soft and welcoming light that envelops you," Ms Naim lamented, nodding to one of the cast-iron lampposts that dot the city centre. Alas, no more.

"I don't want to make this personal, but these horrible lights, mama mia!" Ms Naim said, dramatically covering her eyes while passing through a bar-lined piazza.

Rome, more than 2,700 years in the making, is of course ever evolving. Its layers of archaeology attest to that. Barely a hole can be sunk without hitting bone or ruin. Yet for some, the beloved, timeless, romantic beau…