Visit the Colosseum: One of the Seven Wonders of the World

The seven wonders of the world include some of the most glorified and magnificent man made structures ever made. To date, several wonders of the world lists have been created, including the newest Open World Corporation list that was voted on by people all over the world. The Roman Colosseum was on the original seven wonders of the medieval world list, and was the only wonder to be voted back onto the new list.

Completed in 80 AD, the Colosseum was used as a Roman amphitheatre and is one of the biggest tourist attractions in present day Rome. I was lucky enough to be able to visit the Roman Colosseum for myself on a trip to Italy, so I can understand first hand how this amazing structure made the list twice.

Only a small portion of the outer four tiers of columns remains, but what is there is still in decent age given its age. The interior of the Colosseum is just as magnificent. A majority of the details and structure has been stripped or disappeared because of age over time, but that wear and tear leaves us with a great view of the underground chambers and rooms. This peek into the structure is something that most Romans who attended competitions and mock battles in ancient Rome, never got to see.

What remains of the original Colosseum is enough for any visitor to appreciate and get a good idea of the building proportions and importance. However, a walk around the exterior of the Colosseum illustrates just how much of the building was removed to add to other construction projects in the ancient city.

If you arrive at the Colosseum from the entrance to the Roman Forum, you will be greeted by a less than magnificent site. For the best photos of the building walk around to the side, or what seems like the front because that is where most of the tourists, artists and street vendors will be found. Head down Via dei Fori Imperiali to snap the best view in the city of Rome.

If you are planning your own trip to Rome, or planning on taking a vacation in the near future and have yet to determine where you want to go, Rome and the Colosseum make a great choice. A trip to see this wonder of the world includes the chance to immerse yourself in the remains of a great civilization and experience an exciting city that is still thriving.

A visit to the Colosseum has to be well planned in advance since it is one of the biggest draws for tourists in Rome. During the peak summer tourist times tickets to the site do sell out, and guided tours in English are booked for weeks in advance. Even if you are planning a travel agent free trip, I highly recommend finding a travel company for the day to set up your visit. Regular admission to the Colosseum is twelve dollars (ten euros) and includes admission to the Hill. Hours change with the season, so check the times depending on when you expect to visit. For an additional fee you can take a guided tour with an archeologist in English or purchase an audio tour and explore on your own. I did both and recommend it for the extra eight dollars, since the tour guides and the audio both have great things to offer.

I hope to visit as many of the remaining structures of the seven wonders of the medieval world, as well as the six wonders voted onto the new list, but for now I am satisfied with what I have seen. My trip to the Colosseum was definitely worth the time, planning and money I spent to get there.