The Colosseum in Rome

The Roman Colosseum, also called the Coliseum or the Flavian Ampitheatres, is one of the most impressive pieces of Roman engineering and one of the most popular attractions in Rome today. Located a little east of the Roman Forum, this enormous structure was built between about 70 CE and 86 CE, and has survived the centuries since, though it is currently damaged.

Once capable of seating up to fifty thousand people, the Colosseum was the location of many public spectacles, including animal hunts, theater, mock sea battles and battle reenactments, gladiatorial competitions and public executions. As many as a five hundred thousand people and over a million animals are estimated to have died in the games in the Colosseum while it was open, with over nine thousand wild animals killed just for the inauguration.

The Colosseum was closed as an entertainment location in the early medieval period at the request of the growing Christian population, and was later used for everything from a shrine and home for religious orders to a fortress to a quarry. It was declared a sacred site in the mid-eighteenth century by Pope Benedict XIV, though there is no evidence that Christians were martyred there, and later Popes restored and repaired it somewhat, removing vegetation and reinforcing the structure with brick wedges.

Originally, the ampitheatre had wooden upper levels, which have disappeared, and it has also been damaged by fire and earthquake. Until the structure was declared a holy site, locals removed stone from it for other buildings, as well. The partially ruined building now stands as a symbol of Rome's permanence, and is visited by many people every day.

Excavations of the substructure began in the nineteenth century, and continued up through the 1930s. More recently, a restoration project between 1993 and 2000 cleaned parts of the outer wall. The building has also become a symbol for activists against capital punishment, and is lit in gold whenever a criminal's capital sentence is commuted or a country abolishes the death penalty.

It's no longer possible to host large events in the Colosseum, since the interior remains ruined. However, a few hundred people can be seated inside, and more can be seated for concerts held outside the building, using the Colosseum as a concert backdrop. The famous landmark is surrounded by photo taking crowds on most days, and is best seen in the morning, before other people arrive.

The Colosseum is open to the public between 9 am and 4 pm, or until 6 pm in the summer time, with a small fee for admission. You can take either a guided or self guided tour on the hour every hour.

If you'll be staying in Rome for your holiday, the Colosseum is a must see attraction. Even better - remember to check the area for great deals on Rome apartments. They give you all the comforts of home at a lower price and with less inconvenience than a hotel, and are a great choice for families on holiday.