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Colosseum in Rome, Italy
Renowned for being one of the most spectacular constructions in history, the Colosseum in Rome has been visited by millions. In this article, we take a look at the interesting facts behind this stunning monument.
We’re all familiar with the must-see attractions in Rome, but what about the no-nos? Listed below are five things you should not miss when visiting Rome.
Beyond Italy’s iconic Colosseum, some refer to the
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Hi, one of my favorite cities in the world, and we’re going to share our 5 favorite places to visit while you’re here.
Pre-booking your tickets is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that your trip to Rome goes well and that you don’t miss out on any of the attractions you want to see.
For the Vatican museums, to view the Colosseum over there, since the lineups may be absurd. I mean, we’re talking kilometers.
If you don’t book a tour or a group or anything like that, you may end up wasting half a day in line to go into the Colosseum or the Vatican Museum, so that’s the first thing to remember.
Rome has these amazing shoes.
There are so many historic sites in the historic center that you may easily stroll from one to the next.
You’re going to be doing a lot of walking in Rome because of all the cobblestones and uneven pavement, so bring some comfortable walking shoes. You’ll need them because of how much you’ll be moving about.
Even if you have nice shoes, barking is going to be difficult because they have awful shoes, so bring some decent shoes with you, okay?
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Don’t put your hands in your pockets.
There are a lot of pickpockets and unsavory people who prey on the many tourists who flock to this city, and you’ll see them everywhere in tourist groups. I’m not going to lie to you, I love ramen in Port Paris and Rome, my two favorite cities in the world, and a city that I love so much, but I’m going to tell you that there are a lot of pickpockets and unsavory people who prey on the many tourists who flock to this city.
It’s common practice to bump into people while riding the metro, but some of those people may be after your wallet, so always pay attention when getting on and off the train. This is especially true at busy stations like the Coliseum, where people may have their hands in their pockets and then jump out as the door closes.
A buddy of mine’s mother had a pocketbook with a metal wire in it when they returned to their hotel after the first day of utilizing public transportation, and I was there to see it.
If you’re looking for a good meal in Rome, don’t eat from the tourist menus.
With one overpriced dish and two underflavored dishes, you won’t be getting authentically traditional Italian cuisine because the chefs understand that they are catering to tourists and are therefore going to make knockoffs on the cheap.
This can make for a disappointing dining experience, as some people believe that authentic Italian cuisine is better than the food served here. However, if you’re going to eat near any of the area’s tourist attractions, you should expect that the food will be subpar.
Just a few blocks away from the tourist attractions, you’ll find local restaurants and cafes, great gelato, and fantastic pasta with artichokes, and that’s one of the cool things about Rome.
The area around is yours for the taking.
The terrorist menus at tourist attractions at 03:42 p.m. are making my stomach churn.
The folklore says that if you toss the coin, it indicates you’ll return.
Back in Rome, and I assure you, there are just too many attractions to visit here to see them all in one trip.
There are so many things to do and see in Rome, from the Vatican to the Colosseum, the Forum, and the districts, whether you’re here for a week or a month.
You won’t be able to view all you wish to see
Don’t forget to throw in the towel when you return.
It is, and I am going to toss in an additional six coins, so don’t miss a chance.
There are so many people in Rome who are so warm and welcoming that even if you don’t speak any Italian at all, you’ll have a great time. I can’t tell you how many times I started a conversation with a grandma while she was taking the kids to the bag, and the next thing I knew, I was talking to the bag’s owner.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to meet the Romans, therefore study some Italian before you go.
Exactly, at which point you’re more than welcome to join us.
People appreciate it when you take time out of your schedule to do pleasant things for them while they’re on vacation.
For a city that’s already inundated with visitors and has a population of more than a million, it’s a little surprising that there are so many things to avoid.
Things to know about visiting Italy You’ll be surprised by some of the things she’ll teach you about Rome’s cuisine if you trust me; I’ve enjoyed learning about it while you’re here in Italy.
All of that and more can be found on our website, we wish you the best of luck in Italy.
Visit the Colosseum in 2024 with these expert tips.
Best Time to Visit the Colosseum in Rome
The ideal time to visit the Colosseum, in my opinion, is when it isn’t raining. Temperature doesn’t matter, but because the tour takes place nearly completely open-air, strolling without an umbrella is recommended for a smoother visit.
As far as the season goes, summer is full at any time of the day. Even though July and August are notoriously crowded, if this is the only time you have off, consider booking online or joining a tour that offers a skip-the-line admission.
In the afternoon, you’re more likely to discover fewer people in line, although in the morning, it’s always busier. Just bear in mind that you need to provide adequate time to line up and visit. Even if the ticket is good for 48 hours, you may return the following day to see the second attraction.
A method to bypass the wait at the Colosseum might be to visit the Roman Forum first, which we always found less congested. Because the ticket is good for entry to both the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, you may skip the line and go straight into the Colosseum. While waiting in line for the Forum tends to be shorter, this is not always true. Even here, during the busier months of June and December, expect to see a swollen population.
If you truly want to see the Colosseum before the Forum, aim to get there at least half an hour before opening time.
In any case, if you would want to bypass the wait, you either arrange a tour or purchase a skip-the-line Colosseum ticket. To learn more,
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How to Purchase Tickets for the Colosseum
Purchasing Colosseum tickets online is your best chance to decrease your queue time. You may opt to purchase merely the entry to the general access area, a fast-track entrance with a video guide, or a private tour that provides rapid VIP access and a tour guide to explain the many elements of the archaeological site, many of which might not be fully simple to comprehend on your own.
Keep in mind that only a licensed tour guide has access to the arena and the Colosseum’s subterranean areas.
If you’d rather not wait in line, you may take advantage of these admittance choices and some of the most popular Colosseum excursions.
Buy skip-the-line Colosseum tickets online
The first option is to order online your skip-the-queue Colosseum ticket that covers both the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. A tour guide is not included; this is only the admission price. In addition, you’ll get a link to a printable map of Imperial Rome through email.
Book a private Colosseum tour
For peace of mind and a more detailed experience, arranging a private tour is your best choice. There are several Colosseum excursions so you may select the one that best meets your preferences.
Take Walks provides a VIP-access Colosseum trip that includes both the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill, one with also admission to the arena and one that includes entry to both the arena and the subterranean.
Buy official Colosseum tickets
Alternatively, you may purchase tickets directly from the Colosseum’s website. There are a few possibilities you may pick from. The regular ticket that provides you entrance to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill costs 16 € + 2 € for the reservation and is good for 1 day and 1 entry to each site.
Tickets for the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and the SUPER sites, including the Palatine Museum and Neronian Cryptoporticus, the Augustus House, the Livia House, and the Temple of Romulus, may now be purchased in one convenient place! This costs 16 € and gets you 1 entry to all the locations Visitors are asked to present their ID at the Colosseum ticket office. Don’t be late because you might miss the access, which cannot be returned. Here you will discover additional information.
Another choice is to include entry to the Colosseum’s arena or undergrounds, which need a guide, as well as the SUPER sites (Full Experience Ticket). It costs 22 € and is good for 2 days and 1 access to all the ancient sites (Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hills) (Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hills).
What to See at the Colosseum
The Colosseum archeological site is extensive, including many locations. The public area is available to anybody with an ordinary ticket, but the arena and the subterranean are only feasible to enter with a professional guide.
As you enter, you will have access to the audience section, where people used to spend hours waiting and watching their favorite acts for some occasions even days. Which comprised terrible scenes of hunts, gladiators battling against one other wild creatures transported from Africa, and occasionally even naval conflicts.
If you travel with a guide, whether you bought a private trip or merely the guide from the Colosseum official website, you may also visit the arena and the subterranean. You may only get a glimpse of the arena from above, but the subterranean infrastructure that carried gladiators and animals to the arena is visible from there as well.
Why You Can’t-Miss Rome’s Colosseum
Symbol of the splendor of the Roman Empire, the Colosseum is a testament to human engineering. Today welcomes hundreds of tourists every day, returning to its original function when it was established in the 1st century AD.
During the reign of Emperor Valentinian III, the Colosseum, the world’s biggest amphitheatre began to deteriorate in 438 AD. The Colosseum served a variety of functions throughout the Middle Ages, including artisan workshops, an animal hospital, and even dwellings. It was only recently, after years of meticulous archaeological excavation and reconstruction, that the building’s original purposes were revealed.
Practicalities: Information about the Roman Colosseum
Last but not least, here is what you need to know before you travel. Find the Colosseum hours, the Colosseum ticket price, how to save, and where to get Colosseum tickets.
To prevent long lines and being denied entry, I’ll go through the best ways to get to the Colosseum and what items you should avoid bringing with you.
Where it is, Colosseum address
Directions to the Colosseum from Piazza del Colosseo 1
By metro is the simplest method to travel to the Coliseum. Line B stops just outside the Colosseum’s main entrance, making this the most direct route from Termini or Ostiense/Piramide to the Colosseum.
By bus. Trams 3 and 8 on Via Celio Vibenna behind the Colosseum arrive at the Piazza del Colosseo via the following bus lines: 51, 75, 85, 87, 118. Alternatively, you may get out at Piazza Venezia and visit the Colosseum with a delightful stroll through Via dei Fori Imperiali.
On foot. Staying near the city’s heart means you can walk to the Colosseum without having to wait for a bus, and you’ll get to see other landmarks along the route. A stay at one of the greatest hotels in Rome near the Colosseum, for example, will provide you with a stunning view.
Times when the Roman Colosseum is open for visitors
Open every day from 8.30 am. Closing time varies on the season: approximately 4.30-5.30 pm from January to March and November to December; 6.30 pm in October; around 7-7.15 from April to the end of September. The ticket office closes an hour before closing time.
What to wear if you’re going to the Colosseum.
Also included is a list of what to bring and what not to bring.
Shoes that are easy to walk in. Whether you’re heading to the dungeon or the arena, you’ll be walking a lot and climbing a lot of steps, so comfy shoes are a must. Both the Colosseum and the Roman Forum should be seen on the same day if possible.
Sunscreen. If you’re travelling in the summer, don’t forget to apply sunscreen and carry it with you. Because the Colosseum is open-air and has a little covered area, you will be exposed virtually all of the time.
a water bottle Staying hydrated is crucial, especially in the summer, but also throughout the year. Because a visit to the Colosseum in Rome might take up to two hours, bring a bottle of water with you. During the heating season, I’ve seen visitors pass out, so stay hydrated and take medication for low blood pressure if you have it.
DO NOT TAKE A LARGE BACKPACKET OR SUITCASE WITH YOU. These are prohibited, and there is no cloakroom, therefore you will not be admitted.
BRING NO KNIVES OR SHARP OBJECTIVES. These are prohibited and will be taken away. Bring them with you if you don’t want to lose them.
The Colosseum in Rome
The Colosseum in Rome, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium; Italian: Anfiteatro Flavio [afiteatro flavjo] or Colosseo [kolosso], is an oval amphitheatre in the center of Rome, Italy.
It is the world’s biggest amphitheatre, made of travertine, tuff, and brick-faced concrete.
The Colosseum in Rome is located just east of the Roman Forum.
Construction began under Emperor Vespasian and was finished in AD 80 by his successor and heir Titus.
During Domitian’s rule (81–96), more changes were enacted.
The Flavian dynasty was named after these three emperors, and the amphitheatre was named in Latin after their surname (Flavius).
The Colosseum in Rome could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, with an average audience of around 65,000.
It was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles (for only a short time as the hypogeum was soon filled in with mechanisms to support the other activities), animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and Classical mythology-based dramas.
In the early medieval century, the edifice was no longer utilized for entertainment.
It was eventually used for houses, workshops, religious order apartments, a castle, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.
Despite being largely destroyed by earthquakes and stone robbers, the Colosseum remains an iconic emblem of Imperial Rome.
It is one of Rome’s most prominent tourist sites, and it also has connections to the Roman Catholic Church, as the Pope leads a torchlit “Way of the Cross” procession that begins in the region around the Colosseum every Good Friday.
The Colosseum in Rome is also portrayed on the five-cent euro coin in Italy.
The Colosseum in Rome
The original Latin name for the Colosseum was Amphitheatrum Flavium, which was commonly anglicized as Flavian Amphitheatre.
Following Nero’s reign, rulers of the Flavian dynasty built the structure.
Although this term is still used in modern English, the monument is best known as the Colosseum.
The unofficial term Amphitheatrum Caesareum (with Caesareum an adjective referring to the title Caesar) may have been used by Romans in antiquity to refer to the Colosseum, although this name may have been entirely poetic.
because it was not limited to the Colosseum; the Colosseum’s founders, Vespasian and Titus, also built an amphitheater of the same name in Puteoli (modern Pozzuoli).
The term Colosseum was long thought to have originated from a nearby enormous statue of Nero (the statue of Nero was named after the Colossus of Rhodes).
This statue was eventually rebuilt into the figure of Helios (Sol) or Apollo, the sun god, with the addition of the proper solar crown by Nero’s successors.
Nero’s Head Was Replaced With The Heads Of Successive Emperors
Nero’s head was also replaced with the heads of succeeding emperors multiple times.
Despite its pagan origins, the monument remained standing far into the medieval period and was said to have magical properties. It became known as an iconic emblem of Rome’s tenacity.
A renowned epigram ascribed to the Venerable Bede in the eighth century hailed the symbolic importance of the statue in a prophecy that is differently quoted:
Quamdiu stat Colisus, stat et Roma; quando cadet colisus, cadet and Roma; quando cadet Roma, cadet et mundus (“as long as the Colossus stands, so shall Rome; when the Colossus falls, Rome shall fall; when Rome falls, so falls the world”).
This is frequently mistranslated as referring to the Colosseum rather than the Colossus (as in Byron’s work Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage).
However, at the time the Pseudo-Bede wrote, the masculine term coliseus was assigned to the statue rather than the Flavian amphitheatre.
The Colossus did ultimately fall, probably because its bronze was being reused.
The word “Colosseum” was coined to refer to the amphitheatre by the year 1000.
Only the base of the monument, which stands between the Colosseum and the neighboring Temple of Venus and Roma, has survived.
During the Middle Ages, the name was changed to Coliseum.
The amphitheatre is still known as il Colosseo in Italy, and other Romance languages have adopted similar terms such as Coloseumul (Romanian), le Colisée (French), el Coliseo (Spanish), and o Coliseu (Portuguese) (Portuguese).
The Colosseum in Rome History
Construction, inauguration, and Roman renovations
Titus Sestertius commemorates the opening of the Colosseum (minted in 80 AD).
A map of downtown Rome during the Roman Empire, with the Colosseum prominently displayed in the top right corner.
A level spot on the bottom of a low valley between the Caelian, Esquiline, and Palatine Hills, through which a canalised stream ran, was chosen as the location. The region was intensively populated by the 2nd century BC.
It was destroyed by the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64, after which Nero took most of the territory to expand his realm. On the site, he constructed the spectacular Domus Aurea, in front of which he erected an artificial lake encircled by pavilions, gardens, and porticoes.
The existing Aqua Claudia aqueduct was expanded to bring water to the region, and the massive bronze Colossus of Nero was erected nearby at the Domus Aurea’s entrance.
The Colosseum in Rome A part of the Lexikon der gesamten Technik (1904)
While the Colossus was saved, much of the Domus Aurea was demolished.
The lake was filled in, and the site was repurposed for the new Flavian Amphitheatre.
Gladiatorial schools and other support structures were built nearby on the old grounds of the Domus Aurea.
Vespasian’s choice to build the Colosseum on the site of Nero’s lake might be interpreted as a populist effort to reclaim for the people a portion of the city that Nero had taken for his purposes.
Unlike many other amphitheatres, which were built on the outskirts of a city, the Colosseum was built in the city center, thereby positioning it both figuratively and physically at the heart of Rome.
The sumptuous spoils captured from the Jewish Temple during the Great Jewish Revolt in 70 AD, which resulted in the Siege of Jerusalem, were used to support construction.
The Emperor Vespasian
“The emperor Vespasian ordered this new amphitheatre to be created with his general’s share of the spoils,” according to a reconstructed inscription discovered on the site.
Along with the loot, an estimated 100,000 Jewish captives were transported back to Rome after the battle, and many of them helped the vast building crew.
Slaves were required to perform manual labor such as working in the quarries at Tivoli, where the travertine was mined, as well as lifting and carrying the quarried stones 20 kilometers or 12.42 Miles to Rome.
Along with this free source of unskilled labor, teams of experienced Roman builders, engineers, artists, painters, and decorators worked on the Colosseum’s more specialized jobs.
The construction of the Colosseum began approximately 70–72 AD, under the reign of Vespasian.
By the time Vespasian died in 79, the Colosseum had been finished up to the third storey.
Titus, his son, completed the top level in 80,[4] and the first games were held in A.D. 80 or 81.
According to Dio Cassius, around 9,000 wild animals were slaughtered during the amphitheatre’s first games.
The inauguration was commemorated with commemorative coins.
The structure was later altered by Vespasian’s younger son, the newly proclaimed Emperor Domitian, who built the hypogeum, a network of underground tunnels intended to keep animals and slaves.
He also constructed a gallery for the Colosseum’s roof to boost seating capacity.
A huge fire (caused by lightning, according to Dio Cassius) destroyed the wooden top floors of the amphitheatre’s interior in 217, severely damaging the Colosseum.
It was not repaired until around 240, then it was restored in 250 or 252 and again in 320.
Gladiatorial combat was last referenced in the year 435.
Under Theodosius II and Valentinian III (reigned 425–455), an inscription commemorates the rebuilding of several areas of the Colosseum, perhaps to repair damage caused by a large earthquake in 443 additional work followed in 484 and 508.
The arena was being utilized for competitions far into the sixth century.
Animal hunts persisted at least until 523 when Anicius Maximus celebrated his consulship with several venationes, which King Theodoric the Great chastised for their expensive expense.
The Colosseum is seen on a medieval map of Rome.
During the Middle Ages, the Colosseum suffered some significant changes in terms of its purpose.
A tiny chapel was included in the amphitheater’s fabric by the late 6th century, although this did not seem to have any religious importance for the edifice as a whole.
It was decided to make use of the arena as a cemetery.
As late as the 12th century, several of the arcades’ vaulted areas behind the seats were being leased out for dwellings and workshops.
The Frangipani family seized control of the Colosseum around 1200 and fortified it, maybe utilizing it as a fortress, during the same period.
The great earthquake of 1349 caused the Colosseum’s outer south flank, which was built on a less stable alluvial soil, to collapse.
Much of the shattered stone was utilized elsewhere in Rome to create palaces, churches, hospitals, and other structures.
The northern section of the Colosseum was occupied by a religious order in the mid-14th century and remained so until the early nineteenth century.
All the stone that had been removed from the amphitheater’s interior was either reused elsewhere or burnt to generate quicklime, depending on whether it had been marble or another stone.
Many of the bronze clamps that kept the stones together were removed from the walls, resulting in many pockmarks that are still visible today.
Giovanni Battista Piranesi’s etching of the modern Colosseum from 1757.
A 1747 painting by Giovanni Paolo Panini depicts the Colosseum’s semi-rural surroundings at the time.
Vatican authorities wanted to repurpose the Colosseum for religious use in the 16th and 17th centuries.
To help Rome’s prostitutes, Pope Sixtus V (1585–1590) wanted to transform the structure into a woolen mill. Sadly, this idea was cut short by his untimely death.
Christ’s Passion was devoted to Christ’s death in the Colosseum, which was also made holby Christians who were martyred there; he also placed Stations of the Cross, proclaiming it to be sanctified because of their blood (see Significance in Christianity).
But there is no evidence to substantiate Benedict’s assertion, nor is there any proof that anybody even claimed this may be the case until the 16th century;
However, other than the conceivable possibility that a few of the numerous martyrs may have been, the Catholic Encyclopedia finds no evidence to support this theory.
Colosseum, Rome (1832) by Thomas Cole, displaying the Stations of the Cross and a vast expanse of greenery.
Multiple repair and stabilizing efforts were undertaken throughout the years by successive popes to prevent additional structural deterioration.
In 1807 and 1827, triangular brick wedges were used to buttress the façade, and in 1831, 1846, and the 1930s, the interior was renovated.
As early as 1810–1814 and 1874, the arena’s basement was partially dug, and Benito Mussolini exposed it during World War II.
To this day, the Colosseum remains a must-see stop for millions of tourists visiting Rome each year.
A massive repair effort, costing 40 billion Italian lire ($19.3 million / €20.6 million at 2000 prices), was undertaken between 1993 and 2000 as a result of pollution and general degradation.
The Colosseum has recently become a symbol of the worldwide struggle against the death penalty, which was abolished in Italy in 1948.
Many anti-death penalty protests occurred in front of the Colosseum during the year 2000.
Rome’s municipal authorities have since that time changed the nighttime lighting of the Colosseum from white to gold anytime a person sentenced to death anywhere in the world has their sentence reduced or is released, or a jurisdiction abolishes the death penalty.
Following the abolition of the death penalty in the state of Connecticut in April 2012, the Colosseum was lit in gold in November 2012.
The Colosseum can only hold a few hundred people on temporary seats due to its destroyed interior, making it unusable for major gatherings.
The Colosseum, on the other hand, has been used as a background for far bigger performances that have taken place outside of it.
Ray Charles (May 2002),[26] Paul McCartney (May 2003),[27] Elton John (September 2005),[28] and Billy Joel have all performed in the Colosseum in recent years (July 2006).
