Colosseum short history. Who built the Colosseum: description, location, date, reason and history of creation, interesting facts, historical events

Ancient Roman amphitheater in Rome. It is the largest of all existing amphitheaters and a well-preserved monument of ancient Roman architecture. Most likely, it is the Colosseum that is the first association that many people have when they mention the capital of Italy. That is, this ancient monument can be considered a symbol of the city, just as it is considered a symbol of Paris, and Big Ben is a symbol of London.

It was erected in 8 years, from 72 to 80 BC. It was originally called the Flavian Amphitheater, and the name Colosseum was given from the 8th century, probably because of its size.

Its structure is a classic ancient Roman amphitheater. This is an ellipse, in the middle of which there is an arena of the same shape. There are tiers of seats for spectators around the arena. The main difference between the Colosseum and other similar buildings is the shape. Its length is 187 meters, width - 155. The size of the arena is 85 by 55 meters, and the height of the outer walls of the Colosseum is about 50 meters.

Tooliseum served as the center for all Roman entertainment spectacles. Games, gladiator fights, animal baiting, sea battles were held on it. But in 405, fights were banned and the Colosseum fell into disrepair. It suffered from the invasion of the barbarians, then served as a fortress passing from hand to hand, after which it gradually began to be dismantled for building materials. Only in the 18th century, Benedict XIV took the Colosseum under his protection, and the popes who followed Benedict carried out a series of restoration work.

Now the Italian authorities take care of the Colosseum. Partially, with the help of debris, the arena was restored and excavated, under which basements were discovered. But, unfortunately, the state of the Colosseum is far from ideal - rainwater, the vibrations of the modern metropolis and pollution threaten this monument of ancient architecture with complete destruction.

But, despite the partial destruction and loss of its former beauty, it still makes a great impression and annually attracts a huge number of tourists. The Colosseum can be called one of the most famous world attractions, the main symbol of Rome.

Last modified: October 11, 2018

Arriving in the Eternal City, tourists from all over the world tend to visit the most majestic building, which is the personification of former grandeur Empire. They say that the Colosseum in Rome has an incredibly strong attractive energy. Once upon a time, productions of famous historical battles and dramas based on classical mythology, the baiting and hunting of wild animals, gladiator battles and the execution of Christians, and the shed blood led to the frenzied jubilation of the entertaining crowd, exposing the basest human instincts.

Various guides to Rome provide a lot of information about this grandiose monument of ancient architecture. However, some Interesting Facts associated with its two-thousand-year history remain without due attention.

Fact #1: The Jews built the Colosseum

This historical fact confirms the Latin inscription carved on a marble slab found in 1813: "Imp(erator) Caes(ar) Vespasianus Aug(ustus) amphitheatrum novum ex manubis fiery iussit", which in modern Italian sounds something like this: "The emperor Vespasian Caesar Augustus erected a new amphitheater with the proceeds of the booty." This refers to the historical events of the First Jewish-Roman War, which took place in 70 AD. e., when Jerusalem was besieged and captured by the future emperor Titus Vespasian, and tens of thousands of captives were sent to Rome as slaves. From the stone quarries in Tivoli, they mined travertine for the construction of the Colosseum and, under the guidance of Roman architects and engineers, erected its walls.

Fact number 2: The grandiose building was erected in 8 years

Titus Flavius ​​Vespasian (9-79), who began construction in 70-72, managed to see only the first three tiers, and the upper level was completed by his son Titus. Documentary records of the ancient Roman statesman of Greek origin Dion Cassius (155 - 235 AD) testify to this. In one of the records of his works in 80 volumes, covering more than a thousand years of the history of Rome, the inaugural games of 80 are described in some detail.

It is interesting!

Arena (Latin Harena) - translated means "sand". The area on which the battles unfolded was usually covered with a layer of sand, as it quickly absorbed spilled blood, and so that it was not so conspicuous, the sand was painted red in advance.

Fact #3: The name of the amphitheater is associated with devil worship

Everyone knows that the Colosseum in Rome has an official name - the Flavian Amphitheatre, named after the generic name of the three emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian. This is indicated by a plate installed on its walls.

It is believed that the more common - "Coliseum" - comes from the Latin Colosaeus and is associated with a colossal bronze statue of Nero. Vespesian, destroying the Golden House of Nero - Domus Aurea, nevertheless, did not want to destroy the colossal statue of its predecessor, cast in the likeness of the Colossus of Rhodes in Greece. In the monument, only the head was replaced, supplementing it with a solar crown, like the god of the Sun - Helios. Erected on a new pedestal by the emperor Hadrian in 126, the sculpture was located not far from the Flavian amphitheater over the following centuries and, according to many historians, subsequently gave its name to this majestic building.

And although the last, documented mention of the statue is recorded in the Chronography of 354, some facts admit that it still existed in the Middle Ages.

It is interesting!

The well-known prophetic epigram of the Roman Catholic monk Saint Bede the Venerable (672 - 735), dating back to the 8th century, glorifying the symbolic meaning of the statue, reads: “Quamdiu stat Colisæus, stat et Roma; quando cadet colisæus, cadet et Roma; quando cadet Roma, cadet et mundus”, which in translation sounds something like “As long as the Colossus stands, there will be Rome; when the Colossus falls, Rome will fall; When Rome falls, the whole world will fall.” In this quotation, "colisaeus" is incorrectly associated with the Flavian Amphitheatre.

However, there is also a less common version of the origin of the name, which not everyone knows about. So, in the middle of the XIV century Armannino Guidice from Bologna claimed that the Colosseum in Rome, long one of the central places in the pagan world of idolatry, was the heart of some sects of magic and the focus of devil worshipers. According to his interpretation, the origin of the name is based on the Latin phrase that was asked at the entrance to the medieval ruins of the amphitheater - "Colis Eum?" , i.e. "Do you serve him?", referring to the devil.

Probably, there is no person on earth who does not know what the Colosseum is and in what country it is located. The world-famous Colosseum in Italy, (Italian "colosseo" - gigantic, great) is one of the most famous and majestic ruins with world fame.

The Colosseum in Rome can rightly be called the main relic of ancient Rome, preserved today.

What is the Colosseum? This is a dilapidated giant elliptical arena, built in the first century AD, with a unique history and colossal capacity. Not without reason for those who came to see the sights of Rome, the Colosseum often becomes the most desirable goal.

Over the entire period of its existence, this building has undergone a huge number of events. So, the Colosseum, history. How old is the Colosseum in Rome? The construction of the giant arena began in 72 AD. e. Emperor Titus Vespasian on the site of the Golden House built by the tyrant - petty tyrant Nero. After the suicide of the latter, the Romans gladly accepted the news of the transfer of power to the representative of the Flavian family Vespasian, who conceived a great deed - restoring order in Rome, including the restoration of old and the construction of new buildings.
The construction lasted several years, and was completed in 80 AD. e., when the son of Vespasian, Emperor Titus, ascended the throne.

In honor of the surname of the family, from where the roots of the emperors Vespasian and Titus originate - those who built the Colosseum in Rome, the building received its original name - the Flavian Amphitheater.

When the Colosseum was built in Rome, the whole city was engulfed in large-scale festivities that lasted more than three months in a row. The inhabitants of Rome, tired of the numerous fees established by the former ruler, happily plunged into the riot of the holiday.

The building flourished in its original form for fourteen centuries due to the fact that it was always owned by representatives of noble families. However, in the 14th century, a large-scale earthquake struck Rome, and the building suffered significant damage. This was immediately taken advantage of by local nobles, who literally dismantled it into pieces, which they later used to decorate their houses, villas and other buildings.

You will learn all the details from the history of the greatest Colosseum from the video:

The Romans smashed home at least one third of the entire Colosseum, and this legal theft continued until the middle of the 18th century. - the arbitrariness was stopped at the behest of the then head of the Roman Church, Pope Benedict. Therefore, if we talk about who destroyed the Colosseum in Rome, the impartial answer is obvious. After all, many buildings of the city were created largely from the materials and decorative elements of its walls.

View of the Colosseum from the outside, its dimensions and interior

The exterior of the building is a giant arena, standard for that time, with surrounding tiers where seats for spectators are located. Outside, the theater is paved with travertine marble brought from the province of Tivoli and reinforced with metal piles. In total, the construction of the building took more than one hundred thousand square meters. stone.

The facade of the building was decorated with arched structures lined up in several rows, and between them - columns created in different ancient architectural styles.

According to the preserved ancient sources (coins, images), it can be concluded that ancient Roman statues of athletes towered in abundance in the gaps between the arches and columns. And if the building had not undergone numerous destructions later, the description of the Colosseum would have been much more voluminous.

In total, there were about eighty entrances in the building, where those who came to the performance were given stone tablets with row, place and sector numbers carved on them.

The Colosseum had about eighty entrances.

The ruler of Rome was assigned four entrances located on the north side, through the rest other people who bought a ticket for the spectacle entered. Only the ruler had the right to sit on the first tier, the rest of the seats were distributed according to the power of the spectators. Right behind the imperial seats were lodges for nobles, and immediately behind them were places for warriors, for respectable citizens, and for ordinary people.
Later, an area was allocated for the poor, where viewing was carried out only while standing.

According to various sources, the Colosseum in Rome had a capacity of 60 to 85 thousand people. There were also those who looked at what was happening in the arena while standing, since there were a huge number of thirsty bloody spectacles.

The dimensions of the Colosseum in Rome are striking in their scale. The arena of the Colosseum has the shape of an ellipse, 85 meters long and 53.5 meters wide. The perimeter of the building is almost 525 meters, and the height of the walls is approximately 50 meters.

spectacles

Spectacles that took place in the arena of the Colosseum, modern man it would have been impossible to endure.
They started out pretty innocuous. With the help of a catapult, dwarfs, freaks and just jesters appeared in the arena, who started their staged battles without the slightest bloodshed. The next number was ladies - warriors who shot from bows. But after these introductory numbers, real bloodshed began. The strongest Roman gladiators fought in the arena until one of them was mortally defeated, and the crowd chanted the calls “Kill! Kill it!

The gladiator fights were so fierce that they often ended in the death of one of the rivals.

Also popular were the fights of gladiators with wild animals, which were torn to pieces in the arena of the Colosseum, according to various sources, from 6 to 10 thousand. And only when the Christian religion celebrated its centenary, death games banned, however, animals continued to be used for cruel spectacles for several more centuries. Sea battles also enjoyed the love of the audience; for these purposes, the arena was filled with water.

Colosseum in Rome: present

As you know, in our age, cruel bloody fun is completely prohibited. And the Roman gladiator arena turned into a dead historical monument for tourists to see, dreaming of taking more photos of the Colosseum in Rome? No matter how!

Of course, this building has an unsurpassed historical value, not without reason on a significant date - 07/07/2007 - the Roman Colosseum was recognized as one of the seven Wonders of the World.

In addition, this place is favored by world famous celebrities. So, at the beginning of the 2000s, Ray Charles and Paul McCartney performed at its arena, and later Billy Joel and Elton John.

Nowadays, world-class stars often perform at the Colosseum

Location, opening hours

Any Roman tourist is interested in the question of where the Colosseum is located. To visit this greatest historical monument, you need to get to Piazza de Colosseo, Celio area.
You can get to the Colosseum:

• by metro, stop Colosseo or Manzoni (from here you need to change to tram number 3);
• On buses No. 60, 75, 85,87,175, 186, 850, 271;

The opening hours of the Colosseum in Rome depend on the time of year and the influx of tourists. The opening time is always the same: nine in the morning.

But the closure occurs in the following order:

• From the beginning of April to August inclusive - at 19:00;
• All of October - at 18:30;
• From early November to mid-February, the Colosseum closes at 4:30 pm;
• From mid-February to mid-March, the main arena of Rome welcomes guests until 17:00 local time inclusive.

Excursion: where to start

As for buying tickets to see the main historical relic of Rome, they can be purchased directly at the box office, but you will have to stand in a long line under the hot rays of the Roman sun.

You will have to stand in a huge queue for tickets at the box office of the Colosseum

You can quite easily avoid this unpleasant procedure, because the Colosseum has an official website coopculture.it, by visiting which you can buy tickets for the tour online, paying 12-14 euros per ticket. However, in this case, you will have to pay a booking fee of 2 euros.

But on the other hand, with this ticket, valid for two days, you can see not only the Colosseum itself, but also the Forum in Rome, and the Palatine Hill!

Important: in the Roman Forum, the line is much shorter, but the ticket price also includes a tour of the Colosseum and climbing the Palatine Hill. Therefore, if for some reason you did not have time to purchase tickets online, it is better to buy them at the box office of the Roman Forum.

Tours of the Colosseum cost about 60 euros (and if the group is larger, then the cost decreases) are held for every 30 minutes, they will cost 6 euros. Comprehensively erudite guides will tell you many interesting facts about the Colosseum, and the guide's speech is translated into several languages. Just don't forget to wear comfortable shoes for the tour, because all tours of the Colosseum last at least an hour.

What the Colosseum looks like inside - see the video:

Many visitors prefer to purchase the service of renting audio headphones, and the card is also included in the package, these devices cost about 4.50 euros. Therefore, when visiting the Colosseum in the Italian city of Rome and purchasing the “map + headphones” service, the tourist will receive comprehensive information about the place where he is in this moment is located and which part of the Roman arena is currently inspecting.

Conclusion

A trip to Italy is unthinkable without seeing Rome and its most beautiful sights!

Going to Italy, you should definitely see the seventh Wonder of the World - the Colosseum.

And going to the Italian capital, be sure to plan a visit to the place, which is described by numerous works of art, hundreds of colorful films have been shot, the seventh Wonder of the World - the Colosseum.

The grandiose building, which has retained its architectural charm and historical ambition, still amazes people from all over the world to this day. Erected in just 10 years, the Colosseum has remained on guard of history forever. Its arena saw hundreds of thousands of deaths and exploits, slaves and wounded gladiators groaned in its cellars, and animals waited their turn to tear apart human flesh, which smelled of fresh blood.

The construction of the Colosseum began by decree of the emperor Vespasian, according to some sources in 70, according to others in 71 BC. e. and continued after his death by his son and successor Titus. It was he who named it in honor of his family the Flavian Amphitheater, from the Latin - Titus Flavius ​​Vespasianus and arranged a magnificent opening ceremony. As many as 100 days a year there were entertainment for the Romans. More than 50 thousand spectators daily watched gladiator fights, cruel executions, various performances and even naval battles, for which the arena was filled with water.

The Colosseum was built on the site of an artificial lake and is amazing in its size. Two half-rings of stone and cement are connected together, taking the form of an oval of impressive size - 524 meters. The arena is over 85 meters long and 54 meters wide.

The building had 80 passages and was constructed in such a way that the spectators could move freely and take their places. All Romans had the right to visit the Colosseum, but they were already seated in different sectors - the rich were closer to the arena, from where it was easy and interesting to watch performances, and the poor spectators were content with the upper floors.

Only at the opening ceremony, in the arena of the Colosseum, more than 9 thousand animals accepted their death. There were lions and tigers, bears and hippos, even elephants honored the Colosseum with their presence.

Its glory Colosseum triumphed before the arrival of the Christian faith in Rome. Already in the 5th century, emperor Honorius Augustus banned gladiator fights, and later, with the advent of the Visigoths, the Colosseum was left to fend for itself and gradually collapsed.

Today, the Colosseum continues to be the hallmark of Rome, attracting mountains of tourists. The Colosseum has been partly restored and proudly welcomes guests from all over the world, presenting the rich Roman history and rightfully taking the place of the largest building of ancient times.

The Flavian amphitheater got its name - the Colosseum - because of its grandiose size. Although not only the size is grandiose, but the whole history of Ancient Rome. It shows the full power of ancient Rome and the ambition of its rulers. Each of the emperors contributed to the history of the Colosseum his grain of history, glorifying it forever. The shed blood of the gladiators and the frenzy of death made the Colosseum a symbol of the struggle for the preservation of life.

The Flavian Amphitheater, or Colosseum, is located in Rome and is a large ellipsoidal arena built at the very beginning of our era (I century), during the time of the rulers of the Flavian dynasty. The stadium has been used for various exciting public entertainment events. Let's take a closer look at the history of the amphitheater and see how old the Colosseum in Rome is.

Purpose of construction

Who built the Colosseum in Rome and why? The construction of the amphitheater was started in 72, during the reign of Titus Flavius ​​Vespian (December 20, 69 - June 24, 79) on the site where once there was a lake and gardens of the palace and park complex "Golden House" of Emperor Nero.

The structure was part of a wider building program initiated by Vespasian to restore Rome's former glory, which had been lost in a civil war following the death of the tyrannical ruler Nero. The emperor also ordered to start minting new coins with the image of new buildings - the Temple of Peace, the Sanctuary of Claudius and the Colosseum - in order to show the world that the resurgent Rome is still the center of the Ancient World.

origin of name

The first name of the attraction is the Flavian Amphitheatre. As you might guess, the building got its name in honor of the dynasty that initiated the construction.

And known to all modern name Colosseum (in English Colosseum) came from a very large sculpture of Nero, which stood next to the theater, but disappeared without a trace in the Middle Ages. Literally, the name translates as "a huge statue" (from English word colossus).

Construction history

Main construction works lasted eight years. The Flavian Amphitheater began its activity already in 80, that is, during the reign of Titus, the first heir of the former emperor Vespasian. But only during the reign of another son, Domitian, all the work was finally completed.

Financing was carried out through the sack of Jerusalem and the sale of captives from there (their number was thirty thousand). Another hundred thousand slaves were brought to Rome for building material and the building itself.

Therefore, it turns out that the theater was built mainly from local minerals and bricks. So, the walls were built of large travertine marble, and for their decoration they used volcanic tufa stone, limestone and brick. The vaults of the Colosseum were built from light pumice.

Building dimensions

Finished Colosseum in Ancient Rome was something that had never been seen before. It had four floors and a wall height of over 45 meters (about 150 feet), and in some places they reached 50 meters. The thickness of the foundation was 13 meters. And the dimensions in length were simply amazing - the walls of the outer ellipse had a length of 524 meters. The arena itself was 53.62 meters wide and 85.75 meters long. The total area of ​​the Colosseum is 24,000 square meters.

Thanks to such an impressive size, the building could accommodate up to eighty-five thousand spectators.

amphitheater architecture

The architecture of the Colosseum in Rome is also impressive - monumental arches arranged in three tiers, columns of Ionic, Tuscan, Corinthian orders.

The structure included eighty entrances. Four of them were intended for rulers. They were in the northern part of the building. Fourteen entrances served for the horsemen, the remaining fifty-two - for the rest of the spectators.

Scheme of places occupied by class affiliation (from bottom to top):

• senators;
• know;
• the rest of the citizens.

The places of the emperor and his suite were located in the north and south.

The system of corridors and tunnels practically excluded the possibility of crowding and meeting people from different classes.

Also, the architecture of the building provided for the installation of awnings over the arena during too sunny days.

The purpose of the amphitheater

In ancient Rome, in order to earn the respect of the common population, the ruling class had to put up with mass spectacles. The arena of the Colosseum was the best suited for this purpose. Therefore, gladiator fights (munera), animal hunting (venationes) and naumachia (sea battles) were often held within the walls of the amphitheater.

Such events required not only large material costs, but also rules and special regulatory laws. Therefore, the Roman emperors created the Ministry of Games (Ratio a muneribus), which dealt with these issues.

Everyone could visit the Colosseum - from the nobility to the common people, but only free citizens. Therefore, it is not surprising that all segments of the population could meet within its walls.

Gladiator fights

The role of gladiators was played by people who, in fact, were no longer needed by the state for any other purposes and had no rights. Most often they were slaves and those sentenced to death penalty convicts. These people were not sent to battles immediately. At first, they needed to be trained in gladiatorial schools.

Slaves had some advantage over criminals. The latter had no chance of survival - they had to die either in the arena during the battle, or during the execution of the death penalty. Slaves were supposed to perform in the Colosseum for only three years.

After some time, volunteers - free Romans - began to enroll in the ranks of the gladiators. The training lasted several years before they were allowed to enter the arena. The gladiators were subordinate to the lanist - the overseer, who had the right of life and death over the warriors.

Animal hunting

Animal hunting was no less popular in the Colosseum. It was held in the first half of the day and was a kind of prelude to gladiator fights in the evening.

These performances were the only opportunity for many citizens to see animal species rare for them, which were specially caught in different parts of the Roman Empire and beyond. Among them were:

• lions;
• tigers;
• elephants;
• bulls;
• the Bears;
• crocodiles;
• rhinos and others.

The height of the arena fence from the audience increased to five meters for the safety of the latter. And for greater interest, the organizers exhibited mixed doubles. For example, a python against a bear, a bear against a seal, a lion against a crocodile. But you could also see the classic fights - a lion against a tiger.

Another type of competition was the fights of people against animals. The wrestlers were equipped with a spear and released into the arena.

Naval battles

The most expensive events held within the walls of the Colosseum were battles called naumachia, or naval battles. These were reproductions of famous battles on the high seas. The arena was filled with water using a sophisticated hydraulic system.

The participants were almost always criminals who were sentenced to death, sometimes specially trained sailors met in their ranks. For battles, ships were used that were in no way inferior to real combat ships.

During the period of the naumachia, such naval battles were staged as:

• the destruction of the Athenian fleet at Aegospotami;
• the triumph of the Greeks over the Persians during the battle of Salamis and others.

After the games

The history of the Colosseum in Rome changed a lot with the spread of Christianity throughout Europe. With his arrival in Italy, the killing of people within the walls of the amphitheater ceased, as did the hunting of animals. It happened in 405 by order of the emperor Honorius. In addition, the organization and holding of the games required considerable financial costs, which the Roman Empire could no longer afford due to the economic crisis caused by the barbarian invasions.

The Colosseum in Rome began to be used for simpler purposes at different times:

• for housing;
• as a fortress;
• as a religious abode.

The construction was no longer taken care of as diligently as in the era of gladiator fights. The walls of the theater began to succumb to the barbaric attitude of people who stretched into their homes and the construction of other buildings almost everything that they saw and could carry away. For example, the marble cladding and bricks of the Colosseum were used during the construction of the Palazzo Venezia, the Cathedrals of St. Peter and John the Baptist. Earthquakes that occur from time to time also had a no less devastating effect. For example, as a result of the most powerful of them, one part of the theater wall was destroyed in the fourteenth century.

Gradually, the Colosseum in Ancient Rome faded away, leaving behind only a shadow.

According to researchers, the amphitheater has lost almost two thirds of its original size in just five centuries (from the 6th to the 21st centuries).

Theater revival

From disappearing altogether from the earth, the Colosseum was saved by the reputation of a sacred place where Christian martyrs met their fate. But the results of modern historical research suggest that the fact of Christian sacrifice within the walls of the amphitheater is nothing more than a myth.

The complete destruction stopped in 1749 when the Colosseum was recognized as a public church by order of Pope Benedict XIV. A huge cross was erected in the middle of the arena, and altars around it.

The walls of the once huge Colosseum were not only left alone, but gradually began to be restored. Since then, reconstruction activities have continued with short interruptions.

Today's Colosseum in Rome - a short description

The Colosseum is still far from the full restoration of its former grandeur - to our days, only thirty percent of its total volume remains from it. But despite this, its ruins are one of the popular tourist attractions. The number of photos of the Colosseum in Rome is not inferior to those of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.

Among the restoration works carried out, which further increased interest in the amphitheater and increased the number of places for tourists to visit, the following should be mentioned:

1. Clearing and restoration of underground tunnels intended as a place for gladiators to wait for their turn to enter the arena (work carried out in 2010).
2. Restoration of the third tier of the theater, which was intended for middle-class audiences (the first work was carried out back in 1970).

To date, the following places of the Colosseum are freely available:

• the arena and part of the underground rooms, where you can feel the full power of the amphitheater and feel yourself in the place of the ancient gladiators;
• spectator seats in the first tier, that is, the imperial and senatorial boxes, on some you can still see the names of the Roman leaders who were there;
• almost all preserved galleries, stairs and passages;
• gates;
• the upper galleries, from which a stunning view opens, but only the brave ones manage to get there.

The plans of the authorities of Rome to carry out several more complexes of reconstruction works:

1. Restoration of the inner zone of the theater.
2. Complex restoration of underground premises.
3. Construction of a tourist service center.

In addition to being a tourist attraction, today the Colosseum in Rome serves as the site of a few worship services for the Pope. Also concerts of Americans Billy Joel and Ray Charles, Englishmen Paul McCartney and Elton John were organized here.

And since July 7, 2007, the description of the Colosseum in Rome can be found in various publishing houses that tell about the seven wonders of the world.

Where is the Colosseum located?

The address of the Colosseum is the Celio district of Rome, Colosseum Square, 1. A detailed map of the route can be viewed on the official website of the amphitheater.

They also offer access to attractions in the following ways:

• by metro, getting off at the station "Colosseo" (line "B");
• bus numbers 60, 70, 85, 87, 175, 186, 271, 571, 810, 850, C3;
• electric minibus No. 117;
• along the tram line number 3.

Tickets are bought at the entrance to the Colosseum. But in order to get them, you have to stand in a common long queue, the waiting time in which can drag on for several hours. The box office itself closes an hour before the Colosseum closes. Some tourists go to the trick - they buy a complex ticket. It gives the right to enter three attractions - the Colosseum, the Palatine and the Forum. The price of such a ticket is about twelve euros.

Visiting times for the Colosseum are subject to change. It depends on the ongoing renovation work. The current timetable can always be found on the official website. According to the latest information, the amphitheater is open from 8:30 am to:

• 16:30 (until February 15);
• 17:00 hours (February 16 to March 15);
• 17:30 (from March 16 to March 28);
• 19:15 (from March 29 to August 31);
• 19:00 pm (September 1st to 30th);
• 18:30 hours (from 3 to 31 October).

You can also find out more about the opening hours thanks to the information plates placed at the entrance to the Colosseum.