After years of campaigning by local groups, the Tiburtina archaeological park will soon become a reality. The mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni, has requested 5 million to purchase the first 10 hectares. As for the remaining 40 hectares, the council hopes to clinch a deal with landowners before autumn. Based around the Verano cemetery and bordered by the Casal Bertone, Casal Bruciato, and Portonaccio districts, the new park is rich in archaeological treasures. These include traces of the ancient Via Collatina, a Roman tomb with beautiful mosaics and the remains of the ancient town of Tiburtina, still unexplored since its discovery in 1997.