INTERNAL
VIEW and COLISEUM'S CELLARS
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"THE
HISTORY"
Not
much people knows the origin of the nickname of Anfiteatro Flavio
wanted by Emperor Vespasiano in 72 A.D. after his election. It seems
that here before the anphitheatre there was a colossal bronze estatue
representing Emperor Nero whose house, Domus Area, is just few meters
far from the Colisseum. Anyway the building was inaugurated in 80
A.D. by Emperor Tito, Vespasiano's son, the same who suppressed
the jewish revolution in Palestina murdering more than six hundreds
people and burning the famous Salomon's Temple. Till this moment
all the horses competitions took place inside the Circo Massimo
and were simple races with an elliptical journey so that the emotion
was enormous for the crowd discovering that the arena could collapsed
to become an artificial lake ready for naval battles, or could change
its aspect emerging ready for bullfights (an etruscan tradition)
or for animal fights. During the inauguration died more than five
thousands animals brought from Africa only for this occasion. A
real massacre to modern eyes but strongly wanted by Roman population
including politicians, nobles, phylosophers and artists. In short
no one opposed to the slaughters that took place every time an emperor
or a noble
VOMITORIUM
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OUTSIDE
VIEW |
wanted to use this espectacular stage to celebrate a triumph or
just their family. The inauguration lasted 100 days. In 248 A.D.
here it was celebrated the thousandt anniversary of Rome's birth.
Only the conversion to the Christian religion was able to stop fightings
between gladiatori in 404 A.D. and later between animals (523 A.D.).
In the successive centuries the Colisseum was from time to time
damaged by earthquakes, used as a quarry by the Vatican, then abandoned
to itself and finally reopened as tourist attraction in XX century.
Today the Coliseum surely is one of the most known images of Rome
in the world. A visit to the Coliseum is a must for all the travellers.
Opening
hours: Daily from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to
7p.m. (9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in winter) The box-office closes 1 hour
before. Closed on Monday and Jan 1st, May 1st, Dec 25th.
Tickets: FULL 5.00 €. REDUCED
4,20 € (European Union citizens between 18 and 25 years old; -
European Union teachers of State schools only by showing valid
membership card);
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