Rome's once-mighty Colosseum will soon be fenced in as part of efforts to protect Italian cultural sites and the millions of tourists who visit them from potential terrorist attacks, officials said on Thursday.

A meeting of Rome's regional security committee agreed that a barrier would be erected around the arena where gladiators once battled wild animals to the death, creating a security zone for guards and video cameras to step up controls on tourists.

No details about the planned barrier were provided.

Italy vowed to tighten security on tourist destinations following the deadly bombings in London last month. The culture minister said ticket prices at some of the most popular spots could rise as a result.

Metal detectors were already reintroduced at the entrances of the 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheatre earlier this month.