Italy is one of the richest countries in terms of architectural remains from past centuries. The Romans gave great importance to the various architectural works to demonstrate the enormous power they held at the time as they considered it a great empire.
Their buildings are distinguished not only by their size and location, but also by their practicality and functionality.
Today we're going to focus on the Roman Colosseum and share with you some of its best kept secrets.
A little insight into its history
Regarded as the largest Colosseum in the Roman Empire, it lies east of the Roman Forum. Their purpose was to contribute to the entertainment of the citizens through gladiator fights and other public spectacles.
Travertine blocks, concrete, wood, brick, marble, stucco and stone, mainly tuff, were used in its construction. It had a capacity of 65.000 seats and eighty rows. These were classified according to economic class, the higher the level, the lower the class. The senators, the emperor and his family were in the areas closest to the arena.
In the Middle Ages it was no longer used to entertain the people. In later years it was used as a shelter, factory, seat of a religious order, fortress and quarry. Plenty of material was obtained from it for the construction of other buildings until it was recognized as a Christian sanctuary.
Although its structure was badly damaged by earthquakes and demolition, the Colosseum is one of the best preserved monuments of the Roman Empire and is considered an icon of the era.
We have to know
Tickets:
To gain access to the amphitheater you need an entrance ticket. Tickets must be booked on the official website, available in Italian or English.
The regular ticket costs €18, the reduced ticket €4. To get the discounted ticket, you must be a citizen of a European Union country and between the ages of 18 and 25.
Tickets can only be purchased a month in advance on the website. Tickets must be printed prior to use and are non-refundable.
Visiting the Colosseum in Rome is very strict, so it is advisable to be there in good time, since a security check must be carried out before access, which can last up to 30 minutes.
Opening hours:
The building has two opening hours: in summer from 8:30 a.m. to 19:15 p.m. and in winter from 8:30 a.m. to 16:30 p.m.
It is also closed on December 25th, January 1st, Good Friday and May 1st.
Curiosities and Secrets:
The Colosseum is also known as the Flavian Amphitheater because it was built to commemorate the mandate of the emperors who decided to build it.
The current name comes from the statue of the Colossi of Nero, a monument dedicated to this emperor, located very close to the amphitheater and which has disappeared due to the various transformations it has undergone.
Its construction is not circular, as is supposed, but elliptical. It is 189 meters long and 156 meters wide and about 50 meters high.
Construction began between 70 and 72 AD under Emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Emperor Titus, with some changes made under Domitian.
The inauguration lasted 100 days (3 months), with spectacles for all residents of the city, during which about 9.000 animals were sacrificed and about 2.000 gladiators died.
In 2007 it was recognized as one of the new seven wonders of the modern world, but already in 1980 Unesco recognized the importance of this monument and declared it a World Heritage Site together with the historic center of Rome.
Last updated: 24.11.2022
