McDonald's denied appeal to build drive-thru restaurant near ancient Roman Baths of Caracalla

Italy’s highest administrative court has ruled that McDonald’s may not build a drive-thru restaurant near the ancient Roman Baths of Caracalla. According to its ruling, the court reached this decision on the basis of the “importance of protecting cultural heritage”.

McDonald’s in 2019 filed a request to build a new 8,600-square-foot drive-thru that might cost around $1.47 million. However, Italy’s Council of State denied the request. The fast-food chain did not give up. It appealed for reconsideration in 2021, questioning whether the Italian state owned the land that the Baths stand on.

As reported by The Art Newspaper, McDonald’s had already started building its drive-thru next to the ancient baths, following a favourable review of the project by the ministry of culture, and the city council which granted permission for it. However, the project was halted in 2019 after Rome’s then mayor Virginia Raggi intervened following a media outcry. The ministry of culture then reversed its position and also stepped in to fight the development.

The Baths of Caracalla is known as a popular tourist attraction which holds great historical significance. It was built between AD 212 and 217 and is located within an area including the Caffarella Park, Appian way and Roman aqueducts. 

This area is protected by regional and national landscape plans and is also protected by UNESCO as a historic centre of Rome. It is also considered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Hence, any project of development “expressly requires landscaping permissions,” the ruling says. “This clarification is extremely important for the future protection of our cultural and archaeological patrimony. The culture ministry should not “intervene in extremis” in future cases but work towards more consistent co-planning between the state and regions throughout the national territory,” said a heritage protection organisation Italia Nostra in a statement.