ROME (Reuters) - Rome's new mayor announced his intention on Wednesday to tear down a museum designed by U.S. architect Richard Meier that critics decried as a modernist eyesore when it was unveiled in the historic centre in 2006.
"Meier's building is a construction to be scrapped," saidMayor Gianni Alemanno at a news conference as he outlined hisplans for Rome.
"It isn't the top priority, obviously," he added, leavingthe timing of any future demolition unclear.
A glass, marble and steel structure praised by many as awelcome addition to Rome's more traditional architecture, theAra Pacis museum was the first modern building to rise in theancient centre since dictator Benito Mussolini ruled Italy morethan half a century ago.
It was built to house the Ara Pacis, a 2,000-year-old altarcommissioned by Roman Emperor Augustus to commemorate thepacification of what is today France and Spain.
Alemanno, who this week became the first right-wingpolitician elected Rome mayor since Mussolini's time, is amongthose critics who thought the classical Ara Pacis should neverhave been housed in such a modern structure.
One critic compared it to a giant petrol station, whileanother called it "an indecent cesspit", when it was unveiledin 2006.
Alemanno, who ran on a security platform targeting illegalimmigrants, said the Ara Pacis was not the only architecturalproject by his left-leaning predecessors he planned to review.
"We're committed to looking at the constructions carriedout in the historic centre, but the top emergencies areothers," he said.
Although Meier's work was the first building for decades tobe built in the ancient centre -- alongside famous landmarkslike Piazza Navona and the Spanish steps -- several of hiscontemporaries have already been busy in Rome's suburbs.
Award-winning Renzo Piano opened Rome's Auditorium concertcentre in 2002, a building credited with helping change Romanattitudes to contemporary building.
(Writing by Phil Stewart; Editing by Stephen Weeks)