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Colosseum, Rome

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Colosseum: Go to the Colosseum early
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  • joiwatani
  • Updated By joiwatani on March 18, 2009
  • Rome Page by joiwatani
  • Colosseum - Rome
    by joiwatani, 4 more photos
    We went to the Colosseum early in the morning, so we enjoyed our visit to the place better. There are no tourists around the first two hours when we were there. Before the gates were opened, we had time to check the grounds of the Colosseum- just walking around the structure. We went to the Forum also and we enjoyed seeing all the things that were sketched on the walls. We had plenty of time to check the whole place.

    We didn't have to struggle with other tourists. Therefore, we were able to take great pictures of our whole group in front of the Colosseum. We took excellent pictures.

    The best time to go there is actually at seven o'clock in the morning. The gates open two hours later. We were also first in line to buy the entrance tickets and first in line to get in the Colosseum.

    I love taking the pictures of the Colosseum outside and inside. It was an exciting day for me to visit this place.

    I thought I lost my camera when I was entering the gates but I actually put it in my backpack. It freaked me out because I had already put in about a thousand pictures in it.

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    Colosseum: a page in history...
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  • peitsing
  • Updated By peitsing on January 16, 2004
  • Rome Page by peitsing
  • Colosseum - Rome
    by peitsing
    Of course, a visit to Rome is not complete without makin a trip to the Colossuem coz...

    1. it's one of my absolute fav buidling on earth, despite friends commentin that I'm inhumane for loving a place which had took the lives of so many

    2. It's jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring structure.. Although work started on it back in AD 72, the artchitects clearly had the foresight to build in contingency plans.. which till to-date can still be considered as somewhat modern... eg, the adjustable roofing, in case of rain, the loos.... etc etc

    Anyway, the movie Gladiator, was thoroughtly researched and seemed to have reflected the Colosseum as it was back in its days of glory... hence can be watched as reference... :P Cheers to Russell Crowe! heheheh

    BUT.... a word of caution oh..

    DO NOT BE SHOCKED if you're going to the colosseum via the metro..... This is coz, the huge monument is right smacked outside the metro station... so, there u were, happily getting ur tickets punched, turn around and PWOAH!!!!

    Also, lots of muscly half naked dudes walkin about pretending to be gladiators and offering to pose in your photos... clicked away if u must, but be sure to haggle for the fees..... :P.

    Oh.. thirdly... I personally don't think it's necessary to join one of those Imperial Tour or something something. Joined one and it bored us tremendously as the "tour" did not cover for entrance fee into the Colosseum, and no time was allowed for those interested, to enter without risking the whole "tour" abandoning them behind.

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    Colosseum: Do your homework!
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  • Jenniflower
  • Updated By Jenniflower on May 23, 2006
  • Rome Page by Jenniflower
  • Fascinating coliseum - Rome
    Fascinating coliseum
    by Jenniflower
    Before going on holiday, we always do a lot of researching and homework prior to our trip.

    Since being on VT, we naturally look for advice and tips on this site.

    We like to know a certain amount about the area we are going to, the culture, the history etc. It puts one on the right footing I think, and can be very handy.

    One example was the coliseum.

    What one learns at school can hardly do it justice.

    We did research on the history of it, the timeline.. and it changed over the years and had different uses. How it has been built and rebuilt and the stone, wood and other materials used. And why.

    There is always a reason why things get made the way they do, and I would rather know why. It helps one appreciate the craftmanship and skill of those times.

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    Colosseum: Cheap Tours
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  • sarahNI
  • By sarahNI on June 29, 2004
  • Rome Page by sarahNI
  • When you're standing in the queue and tour touts are shouting "You'll be in this queue for 40 minutes if you don't come with us" - ignore them, you'll end up in a huge group struggling to hear.
    Instead check the times of the official tours - they're on lists in the window of the ticket office and only cost about 3-4 euro on top of your admission price. We ended up in a group of about 8 people, it was excellent.

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    Colosseum: In general
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  • Venturingnow
  • Updated By Venturingnow on March 1, 2003
  • Rome Page by Venturingnow
  • Me in front of the coliseum - Rome
    Me in front of the coliseum
    by Venturingnow
    What can I say about one of the most talked about travel destinations in the world? You know why you want to come here, the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Vatican City, the Pantheon, beautiful women, good food, and nice weather. You'll find them all in Rome and well as many other great things that you may never read about in a guidebook, there is something around every corner of Rome to explore. Have fun.

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    Colosseum: Must see the Colosseum
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  • Goner
  • Updated By Goner on April 24, 2003
  • Rome Page by Goner
  • The Colosseum - Rome
    The Colosseum
    by Goner
    You must see the Colosseum, it's so much larger than I imagined. It held up to 55,000 people. As you look down into its depths you can see the pens (see in my travelog) where the Christians and the wild animals were kept for slaughter, at the inaugural games in AD 80 over 9,000 wild animals were killed.
    The arena had approximately eighty entrances so crowds could arrive and leave easily and quickly, much more efficient than our buildings of today..
    The plan is a vast ellipse, measuring externally 615 ft x 510 ft, with the base of the building covering about 6 acres. Vaults span between eighty radial walls to support tiers of seating and for passageways and stairs.
    The facade of three tiers of arches and an attic story is about 158 ft tall — roughly equivalent to a 12-15 story building.

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    Colosseum: Get a good guidebook and refer to it frequently.
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  • unravelau
  • Updated By unravelau on February 22, 2003
  • Rome Page by unravelau
  • Yes, but what is it? - Rome
    Yes, but what is it?
    by unravelau
    Well, I guess the single most important site I would take someone in Rome would have to be the Colosseum..............simply because most people think of Rome and the Colosseum in the same thought.

    There is a kind of atmosphere there that is not found in other places (or is it just me). I could hardly take my eyes off the innards of the monument and could just about hear the screams and shouts of those involved in any of the activities that were conducted there. I guess it ultimately ended in death for many people and animals..............maybe that's what lingers here.

    BUT........ a very impressive building none-the-less.

    My first trip to Rome (1998) saw my daughter meet up with us .......... she was doing a worldwind tour of x number of European countries in x number of weeks and landed in Rome the day before we met up.

    It was lovely to share the day with her (so far away from our homes) and interesting to have her also trying to figure out what all of the old rocks were.

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    Colosseum: WOW!!
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  • ArianaR
  • By ArianaR on March 19, 2006
  • Rome Page by ArianaR
  • Colosseum - Rome
    by ArianaR, 4 more photos
    This was amazing, seeing it no television is nothing compared to walking around inside of it! We had a really nice time here and got some great pictures too. It is 11 euros each to get in and we paid an extra 3.50 euros each for a guided tour and for immediate entry. We ended up skipping the guided tour and walking around by ourselves and the line seemed to be moving quite slow so the extra money was worth avoiding the line. I don't know what else to say about it other than it was simply amazing.

    I would have to say the whole trip, it was a really nice weekend.

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    Colosseum: Arch of Constantine
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  • bugalugs
  • By bugalugs on March 16, 2003
  • Rome Page by bugalugs
  • Arch of Constantine - Rome
    Arch of Constantine
    by bugalugs
    This triumphal arch was built to commemorate Constantines victory over Maxentius in 312AD

    But the arch is actually built with bits and pieces from other things. Some stonework from 81AD and some hunting scenes from 117AD

    It is adjacent to the Coloseum.

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    Colosseum: Buggy Ride Through History
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  • mrclay2000
  • Updated By mrclay2000 on January 16, 2003
  • Rome Page by mrclay2000
  • buggy approaching Arco di Costantino - Rome
    buggy approaching Arco di
    Costantino
    by mrclay2000
    Buggies for hire are seen throughout many of the hot spots in the city, from the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) to the Coliseum and elsewhere. Not the same as a cab which operates at a stiff fare schedule, the buggy drivers must be haggled with and the route selected before you head onward. This is Rome's version of arguing with a gondolier, and for my money can readily be dispensed with.

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