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Colosseum, Rome

Landmark

Colosseum

Rome · Lazio

QUICK INFORMATION

CATEGORY
Landmark
COUNTRY
Italy
REGION
Rome · Lazio
DURATION
3 days

ABOUT THIS ATTRACTION

The Colosseum is the most complete monument of imperial Rome still standing — an elliptical amphitheatre begun under Vespasian around AD 70 and inaugurated by Titus in AD 80 with a hundred days of games. Up to 50,000 spectators watched gladiatorial combats, animal hunts and staged sea battles on its arena floor, while a complex system of ramps, cages and lifts beneath the floor housed the beasts and machinery. Damaged by earthquakes and pillaged for stone over the centuries, roughly two-thirds of the original structure survives, and it remains the single most recognisable symbol of ancient Rome.

HISTORY & BACKGROUND

The story behind it

Built on the site of Nero’s artificial lake in the grounds of his Domus Aurea, the Colosseum was a gift to the Roman people from the Flavian emperors — Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. It was funded partly by spoils from the Jewish War and the sack of Jerusalem in AD 70. Gladiatorial games and animal hunts continued into the 6th century, after which the building fell into disuse as public entertainment and was quarried for travertine that went into churches and palaces, including parts of St Peter’s. Earthquakes in 847 and 1349 collapsed much of the south side. It was consecrated by the Church in 1749 to protect it from further looting, and major restoration began in the 19th century and continues today.

WHAT TO SEE

What to see here

01

The four tiers of arches — the three levels of engaged columns (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian) that defined the façade, with the attic above that once held the awning masts.

02

The hypogeum — the underground network of tunnels, cells and lifts revealed when the arena floor was partly removed, where gladiators and animals waited before rising into the arena.

03

The arena and seating cavea — the elliptical bowl that held the ranked spectators, from senators at the front to women and slaves at the top.

04

The Arch of Constantine — the 4th-century triumphal arch standing just outside, itself a collage of earlier reliefs, framing the Colosseum in the classic view.

WHY IT MATTERS

Why it matters

The Colosseum is the monument that most people picture when they think of ancient Rome, and it earns that place. It was the largest amphitheatre the Romans built, a feat of concrete and travertine engineering, and the stage for the public spectacles that defined imperial entertainment. Its survival — battered, quarried and earthquake-cracked, but still recognisably itself — makes it the most direct link most visitors will ever touch to the scale and ambition of the Roman world.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Before you go

Tickets
A combined ticket covers the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill, valid for 24 hours from first use. Book online in advance — same-day tickets at the gate regularly sell out, and queues can be hours long.
Access
Entrance is on the Via dei Fori Imperiali side. Timed-entry slots are enforced; arrive at your booked slot, not earlier.
Best Time
First slot of the morning or the last slot of the day are quietest. Summer midday is hot, crowded and slow-moving.
Context
The Colosseum stands at the eastern edge of the Roman Forum; the Palatine Hill entrance is a five-minute walk away, so the three sites are naturally visited together.

MAP & LOCATION

Colosseum

Colosseum, Rome, Lazio, Italy

41.8902, 12.4922

Open in OpenStreetMap

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THINGS TO DO

Things to do nearby

01

Walk the historic centre from the Pantheon to Piazza Navona

02

Cross the Tiber to Trastevere at dusk

03

Explore the Appian Way and the catacombs

FOOD & DRINK

Where to eat nearby

01

Roscioli — a celebrated salumeria and trattoria near Campo de’ Fiori, Roman pastas and a peerless cheese counter

02

Armando al Pantheon — classic Roman cooking a stone’s throw from the Pantheon, book ahead

03

Da Enzo al 29 — the most loved of Trastevere’s honest trattorias, no-fuss carbonara and saltimbocca

04

Pizzarium — Gabriele Bonci’s by-the-slice pizza al taglio near the Vatican, arguably Rome’s best

05

Two Sizes — thin Roman-style pizza by the slice, eaten standing, near the Spanish Steps

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HOTELS & STAYS

Where to stay nearby

01

Hotel Locarno — a Liberty-style hotel near Piazza del Popolo, with a leafy courtyard and a rooftop

02

Hotel Raphael — a boutique hotel off Piazza Navona with a rooftop terrace over the rooftops

03

The Fifteen Keys Hotel — a small design hotel in Monti, a quiet base within walking distance of the Forum

04

Generator Rome — a stylish hostel near Termini, good value for a central stay

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NEARBY DESTINATIONS

Continue the journey

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Lazio

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