I wonder if there will come a time when society decides it's better to fix ruins such as the Colosseum and the pyramids instead of letting them just rot away.
With the Colosseum at least, it didn't just sit there untouched for two thousand years. The locals have repaired it after disasters. And also partially torn it down. And then rebuilt it.
About 150 years after it was built, it was partially destroyed by fire. And rebuilt. Another 200 years later there are inscriptions from late emperors who did more repair work. In the medieval era it was stripped of marble and suffered serious damage from an earthquake. In the 18th century it seems the Popes started to appreciate that it was historically significant, and various repairs and preservation activities have gone on ever since. One of the largest cleanings and repairs ever has just started in the last decade.
How much to repair though? At a certain point you have to start taking out original work to replace the ruined interior, and I can understand the extreme reluctance to do that.
As to the Pyramids, they've been rotting for 4300 years and they're still there mostly intact. The most severe damage was intentional acts in relatively recent history. As long as we don't decide to start tearing them down again for free stone, they'll probably outlast humanity.
It blows my mind that the Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest building in the world for 4,440 years (give or take 10), until the Eiffel Tower finally dethroned it.
IIRC there was a protective limestone layer with a gold cap (removed for use in other buildings by later civilizations) on top of the pyramids versus leaving them as is, they originally did not look like unfinished stone. There is constant wind erosion on the exposed stone layer now. I don't know what a good solution to this now.
I think it would be cool to imagine ourselves as part of the process of civilization that created these buildings and restore them to their former glory. If the Mona Lisa was ripped in half we would surely restore it back to a single piece. Why should we not rebuild ancient Rome and host pop-up shops and events in the Forum?
It is an interesting thought, but I think your example doesn't work. In that we have two complete halves in need of minor repair. For ruins, we have parts left, and don't really even know for sure what it's supposed to look like. I mean, a very good idea, but not for sure.
And especially, over time, you can end up with a bit of a ship of theseus.
Also interesting -- if some day one of the earthquakes there knocks down part of the colosseum, will we rebuild the ruins to their ruinous state?
