A decade-long legal saga in Italy has concluded with the imprisonment of a man who constructed a fraudulent “ancient Greek” amphitheater on a scenic hillside. Franco Malosso, who also operated under the name Von Rosenfranz, was sentenced to 28 months in prison for forging works of art, unauthorized construction, and destroying a protected landscape. In addition to his jail term, Malosso was ordered to pay a 3,000-euro fine, along with 3,500 euros in legal costs.
The site, located near Arcugnano in the Veneto region, was marketed as an ancient discovery that Malosso claimed to have unearthed following a landslide. Despite the lack of historical legitimacy, the nearly 54,000-square-foot site garnered glowing reviews on TripAdvisor, with visitors describing it as “an enchanting place,” “a world beyond space and time,” and “unique on the planet.” One visitor even praised Malosso as a “kind custodian” and an “excellent narrator.”
The reality of the site was far from ancient. Court evidence revealed that Malosso employed a local construction firm to build the structure using 21st-century machinery. The tiered seating was constructed from newly quarried stone from Puglia and cement, while supporting walls were topped with polystyrene. The site featured plaster statues and concrete columns, and in place of a traditional stage, Malosso excavated a photogenic pool of water. Experts noted that the structure was actually a fan-shaped theater rather than an oval amphitheater, and that the ancient Greeks never colonized the area around Vicenza.
The deception was uncovered by local law enforcement, including the Carabinieri’s Nucleo Tutela Patrimonio Artistico (TPC), which specializes in the protection of artistic heritage. Lt. Col. Giuseppe Marseglia, commander of the TPC in Monza, stated that the inspection took only a single day to confirm the site was a complete fabrication. Marseglia noted that in his 25-year career, he had never encountered an entire archaeological site that had been faked from scratch.
Malosso charged visitors varying rates to access the site, with out-of-towners paying 12 euros and locals charged 40 euros. He also hosted concerts and performances at the venue, which went by several names, including Anfiteatro Berico. Darius Arya, an archaeologist and director of Ancient Rome Live, described the scheme as “diabolical” and “terrible,” noting that while the idea was “insane,” it highlighted the human tendency toward forgery. Arya added that the site’s existence on protected woodland made the unauthorized construction particularly egregious.
Following his 2019 conviction and a failed initial appeal in 2020, Malosso took his case to the Corte di Cassazione, Italy’s supreme court. He argued that his forgery was so obvious that it could not be considered a serious crime. The court rejected these arguments and upheld the original sentence. The mayor of Arcugnano has indicated that no public funds will be used to remove the structure, a sentiment echoed by Malosso’s own defense attorney. The case has served as a point of scandal in Italy, a nation that prides itself on its vast collection of legitimate UNESCO World Heritage sites and well-preserved Roman and Greek theaters. The report also notes that “Definitely one of the best places I have ever been to,” raves another. The report also notes that because the theater certainly was unique, that last one was prescient. The report also notes that instead, the “kind custodian” who was “more or less a historian, and an excellent narrator,” as one other visitor dubbed him, had built it himself. The report also notes that this month, after a 10-year legal battle, the owner has been jailed for forging works of art, carrying out building works without authorization, and destroying a protected landscape. The report also notes that a country that just edges out China for the most UNESCO World Heritage sites and is home to many legitimate Greek and Roman theaters, from those of Syracuse and Pompeii, where productions are still staged each summer, to the amphitheater of Verona, 40 miles west of Arcugnano, which becomes a mega-stage for opera each summer, the case has scandalized Italy. The report also notes that the owner, creator and self-styled discoverer of the nearly 54,000-square-foot “ancient” site, charged visitors up to 40 euros ($46) to visit the “theater” he had built from scratch, franco Malosso. The report also notes that which he said had been built by hand by the ancient Greeks over 2,000 years ago, was constructed by 21st-century builders using machines, the traditional tiered seating. The report also notes that according to prosecutors, he also led guided visits around the site.
