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Rome’s Caffè Greco Evicted and Closed as Owner Takes Possession

The owner will reopen the venue by launching a public tender following maintenance.

Overview

  • Officials executed the court-ordered eviction on October 8, changing locks with carabinieri present and returning the keys to the Ospedale Israelitico as the premises were sealed.
  • The owner’s commissioner, Antonio Maria Leozappa, said maintenance will begin promptly and a competitive tender will select the next operator.
  • Roughly 300 artworks and antiques were seized earlier in a separate investigation into alleged unlawful removal of items from protected interiors.
  • Italy’s Supreme Court had upheld the lease termination, clearing repossession after a dispute that began in 2017.
  • Ousted manager Carlo Pellegrini submitted a €800,000‑per‑year proposal to continue managing the site and criticized the ministry’s lack of intervention under a 2024 law, while some media report unconfirmed overtures from fashion brands even as a ruling underscores the venue’s established use.