The Colosseum is the largest of the ancient amphitheaters, the embodiment of the greatness of Rome. It was the site of grandiose gladiatorial battles and the execution of criminals. For more than 2000 years, the Roman Colosseum was left without proper attention and care, retaining many interesting facts. The words "As long as the Colosseum stands, Rome will stand, but if the Colosseum falls, Rome will fall, and if Rome falls, the whole world will fall."
History of the construction of the Colosseum
In 64 A. D. there was a Great Fire in Rome. The best lands of the city have become wastelands. It was they who were captured by the emperor Nero. Here he built a landscape palace called the Golden House. In front of the entrance to it, by order of the emperor, a grandiose bronze statue of 30 meters in height, called the Colossus of Nero, was erected. Needless to say, Nero was not popular with the people. In this regard, the next emperor Vespasian had to secure the support of the Romans for himself and his family. To do this, he ordered the demolition of Nero's palace and the construction of a permanent arena for free gladiator fights and other entertainment for the entertainment of the crowd. According to Vesian's idea, the building had to be so magnificent that the Glory of Rome was transmitted.
The Colosseum took 8 years to build. Vesian's son Titus completed the construction of the arena in 81 after his father's death. On the occasion of his accession to the throne, the young emperor organized inaugural games. Emperor Dometian added an upper tier and an extensive network of rooms, chambers, tunnels and passageways to the Colosseum.
Nobody knows exactly how much the building cost. Most likely, the treasures of Jerusalem, captured by Titus in 70 BC, were used for its construction.
The Colosseum in Rome is a true work of art, reflecting the advanced engineering technologies of the time. The invention of concrete made it possible to construct this massive building quickly and efficiently. All this has been done to the highest artistic standards and in a highly skilled manner. Scientists estimate that 100,000 prisoners were returned to Rome as slaves after the Jewish war to carry out construction work.
Description of the Colosseum
The museum is a completely independent structure, in contrast to the ancient Greek theaters, inscribed on the slopes of the mountains. In the palna it has an eleptic shape 189 meters long and 156 meters wide. The height of the outer wall is 48 meters.
Roman Colosseum today
Today the Colosseum is a popular landmark in Rome. About half a million tourists visit the Colosseum in Rome every year. The general deterioration of the building over time prompted the authorities to implement a major restoration program, carried out between 1993 and 2000, at a cost of 40 billion Italian lira (19.3 million USD / 20.6 million VRO). 2000 prices).
In recent years, the Colosseum has become a symbol of the international campaign against the death penalty, which was abolished in Italy in 1948. Several anti-death penalty demonstrations took place in front of the Colosseum in 2000. Since then, the local authorities in Rome have changed the color of the Colosseum's nighttime lighting from white to gold whenever someone is sentenced to death or released from punishment.
Visit cost
The cost of the excursion per person is 6 EUR. It will be held for you by professional guides with higher education in history. It is possible to purchase a single entry ticket to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum for 16 EUR. A single ticket is valid for two days.
Opening hours
The official website provides the following information on the Colosseum's schedule: the Colosseum in Rome opens at 9:00, closes - depending on the season, an hour before sunset. From March 30 to August 31, the Colosseum closes at 19:15, from September 1 to September 30 - at 19:00, from October 1 to October 30 - at 18:30, from October 31 to February 15 - at 16:30, from February 16 to March 15 - at 17:00.
