Italy’s Culture Minister, Rocco Buttiglione, has announced the closure of Nero’s palace in Rome for at least two years. The Minister announced the news as the palace is at risk from water damage. One of the most popular tourist sites, the palace has been open to the public since 1999 and attracts about 1000 visitors per day. Buttiglione is fighting off budget cuts for next year, and said that "We cannot guarantee the safety of both staff and visitors. Rome is a huge, open-air museum and we are managing it with reduced personnel and budget constraints. This is not a technical problem, it's a political one. Italy must decide if it wants to preserve its immense cultural heritage." Roughly 5 million euros ($US 6 million) is needed for urgent repairs, but the Ministry’s archaeologists said a full restoration of the palace and surrounding area would cost 130 million euros over the next 10 years. For more information, CLICK HERE.