Colosseum

The Colosseum is undoubtedly the most exciting of the monuments of ancient Rome.

In this imposing and majestic structure a huge crowd of bloodthirsty Romans admired the fights between gladiators and the condemned to death against, ferocious beasts.

Unlike the Forum, the Colosseum requires no special stretch of the imagination to immerse oneself in the exciting fight scenes of 2,000 years ago.

With more than seven million visitors each year, the Colosseum is Italy’s top tourist attraction.

• At any time during your visit, imagine the screams of 50,000 Roman spectators as gladiators fight;
• Explore the spaces dedicated to gladiators and put yourself in the center of the arena like them;
• Discover the labyrinth beneath the arena where the ferocious beasts awaited combat.

The Colosseum is one of the most famous and most popular tourist attractions in the world. For this reason you will easily find rather long queues at any time of the year.

To make your stay in Rome more intense, visiting more attractions and avoiding queues, a ticket with “priority admission” to be purchased online is highly recommended.

Some details to remember:

• Admission to the nearby ancient sites of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are included in the price of all Colosseum tickets.
• Tickets are sent via e-mail. You can print them out or show them on your phone at the door.
• Electronic tickets are valid for 24 hours after activation.
• You can choose a 30-minute time slot anytime from 09:00 to 15:00.
• The assigned time slot could be 30 minutes different from the one chosen.
• The maximum time you can enter after the allocated slot is 15 minutes.

If you want to get the most out of your visit to the Colosseum, it is highly recommended that you book the official guided tour.
You will be accompanied by an experienced guide for a 3-hour tour, discovering this incredible monument, its curiosities and all its secrets.

Important information:

• While booking, choose your time slot online, but try to arrive a little earlier;
• Remember to bring photo ID, paper or smartphone ticket;
• Rescheduling is possible up to 24 hours before the visit.

To get the most out of your visit to Rome, it is very advantageous to purchase the Roma Tourist Card.

In addition to access to the Colosseum, you can also visit other famous Roman attractions with the same pass: skip-the-line tickets to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel; a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica; and entrance to the Pantheon with an audio guide.

Just select the dates of your stay in Rome and you will receive your tickets directly via Email.

Important ticket information:

• Includes priority access.
• The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican and Sistine Chapel are the included attractions.
• It is a digital pass.
• The Rome Tourist Card has no time limit, can be used and remains valid for the entire stay.
• Booking a time slot works the same way as the previous two tickets.

The largest amphitheater in Rome was built by Vespasian in 72 AD. This magnificent structure was the place where the imperial passion for bloody spectacles reached the height of excess

The interior of the Colosseum was able to accommodate from 50,000 to nearly 90,000 spectators.

The stands, that is, the area reserved for the audience, was called the “Cavea” and was divided into three rings.

Spectators were assigned to each ring according to the rank they possessed: the closer the seats were to the arena, the more important citizens were.

In the lowest ring sat the magistrates and high officials, in the middle ring sat the wealthy citizens, and in the top ring sat the rest of the people.

The Podium, a large terrace in front of the stands was reserved for the emperor, senators, and important figures.

• Emperor Trajan, to celebrate his victory over the Dacians, organized games for 117 days inside the Colosseum, during which 9,000 gladiators and 10,000 beasts fought;
• The Colosseum was known as the Flavian Amphitheater in honor of the Flavian dynasty to which Emperor Vespasian belonged.
• The name Colosseum dates back to the Middle Ages and refers to the “colossus of Nero,” a giant statue that stood nearby.
• Performances included fierce beard fights or gladiator fights. It was rare for rodent fights to end with the death of one of your fighters, because the organizers would have to compensate the owner of the gladiator who was killed;
• The Colosseum was so well designed that it seems it could be completely emptied in ten minutes;
• From the mid-14th century to the 18th century, the Colosseum became a travertine quarry for the building sites of other structures in the city, including St. Peter’s Basilica;
• Where the Colosseum stands today there was a lake with a small stream. After the great burning of 64 AD. Nero decided to build the Domus Aurea. The Lake was included in the palace gardens to stage naval battles;
• There were already tickets inside the Colosseum, which were actually wooden tablets on which the entrance, row, sector, and assigned seat were engraved.

• 72 AD. Emperor Vespasian begins construction of the Colosseum.
• 80 AD. Titus, son of Vespasian, inaugurated the amphitheater with 100 days of games.
• 81-96 AD. The amphitheater is completed under Emperor Domitian.
• 404 AD. Dueling between gladiators is banned.
• 442 AD. The Colosseum is damaged by an earthquake.
• 523 AD. Fighting with wild animals is prohibited.
• 1200 AD. The Frangipane family turns the Colosseum into a fortress.
• 1312 AD. Emperor Henry VII donates the Colosseum to the Senate and the Roman people.
• 1349 AD. A strong earthquake greatly damages the Colosseum and collapses the outer shell of the south side.
• 15th-16th Century-The ruins are used as a travertine quarry for other construction sites in the city.
• 1750 AD. Pope Benedict XIV declares the Colosseum sacred and begins minor restoration work.
• 19th century – More major restoration work begins and the amphitheater is cleared of vegetation.
• 1893 AD The structure under the arena is discovered.
• Today – The Colosseum is one of the most recognized and visited tourist attractions in the world with over 7 million visitors each year.

The Colosseum is located in the center of Rome, in
Colosseum Square
.

Using the subway is recommended: take the subway line B and get off at the “Colosseum” stop.