One of ancient Rome's most important sites is coming back to life after extensive renovation work. The House of the Vestal Virgins, located at the heart of the city, has reopened to visitors after a twenty-year break.

Once a large, 50-room building complex by the Roman Forum, the House of the Vestal Virgins was home of priestesses in charge of keeping the sacred flame of the Temple of Vesta, symbol of the eternal life of Rome, permanently lit.

Six virgins of six to ten years of age with ideal physiques were chosen from noble Roman families to serve at the house for a period of 30 years.

The site provided them with modern living conditions and the priestesses were allowed to choose whether to stay or to marry once their service finished.

Darius A.Arya, Directors of Archeology, American Institute for Roman Culture, said, "The House of the Vestal Virgins was one of the most important sites of the Roman Forum. This is where the priestesses, the unique priestesses, would take care of the flame of the temple of Vesta. They had a direct communication with the emperor, they were grander representatives of the people of Rome, they maintained the safety of Rome by maintaining the safety of the flame."

According to the official Italian news agency Ansa, an area of some 4,000 square meters along the Via Nova, damaged in fires in the capital in 64 AD, has now been restored.

The renovations in the House of the Vestal Virgins, occupying an area of 1,568 square meters, focused on improving the structural stability and integrity of the remains.

Darius A.Arya, Directors of Archeology, American Institute for Roman Culture, said, "It is so important to have the House of Vestal Virgins accessible to the public, it is a grand part of Rome's history. Not having it is not getting all of the history of Rome. To access it, to walk through it, you get a sense of a very important priestess-hood, you get a sense of religion and politics and how this structure joins the Via Nova and up to the palace of the emperor."

The restoration, a part of a rehabilitation programme of the Roman Forum, was funded with 19 million euros from public and private funds.