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 Colosseum - the sanctuary. by breughel
It were pious personages like Carlo Tomassi and several popes (Clement X, Benedict XIV) who first closed the exterior arcades and made the Coliseum become a sanctuary.
It is a fact that when the Coliseum stood in grave danger of demolition it was saved by the pious belief which placed it in the category of monuments of the early Martyrs.
But are there real historical grounds for regarding it so?
In the Catholic Church the specialists of the acts of the Saints and Martyrs are the Bollandists, they are Jesuits and have strong links with Belgium where they started and continue their hagiographical work.
According to father H. Delehaye, a famous Bollandist, it is probable that some of the Christians were killed by wild beasts in the Coliseum but there is just as much reason to suppose that they met their death in one of the other places dedicated to the cruel amusements of imperial Rome: the Circus Flaminius, the Stadium of Domitian, etc.
Little attention was paid by the Christians of the first age to the actual place of a martyr's sufferings so that historical evidence is inconclusive.
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 Colosseum - Flora by breughel
Although damaged by earthquakes in the fifth century, it seems that the Coliseum remained nearly intact till the 8-9th century.
In the 11th c. it became the property of the Frangipani family, with whose palace it was connected by a series of constructions. In the 14th c. the Coliseum belonged to the municipality of Rome; a third of the building was used as hospital. Very bad for the Coliseum was the earthquake of 1349 by which the western and southern portion of the shell collapsed. The enormous mass of stone mainly travertine of this part of the structure served as a quarry for the Romans. Four churches were erected in the vicinity from this material. Many thousands of cartloads of travertine from the Coliseum were carried off by contractors.
It should be noted that in the Middle Ages the Coliseum was not considered as a sanctuary of the martyrs. This idea developed only in the 17th c. where an end was put to the plunder.
The growing vegetation in the wall cracks increased the damage to the structure.
Since 1643 botanists are studying the plants and their variation over the centuries at the Coliseum (684 species have been identified). A well-documented history of flora shows the monument's progress from slum to tourist attraction!
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What surprised me most with the Flavian amphitheatre is that this huge construction with a circumference of about 540 m and 50 m high was build within a period of only six years (excepting some decorative elements who took more time).
The construction of the Coliseum is a brilliant example of the efficiency of the imperial Roman organisation.
The main material is travertine of which it is estimated that 100 thousand m³ were used, with 6000 tons of concrete (so called "Roman concrete") for the vaults and 300 tons of iron clamps to fasten the stone blocks together. I read that to speed up the construction the building site was divided in four operational sectors - quadrants attributed to four different contractors following a meticulous plan.
If nothing is known about the architect of the Coliseum, we know from Suetone that Emperor Vespasien puts hands at work and removed and carried a load of rubble on his back.
VT members who are interested in the technique of this antique building can find full details on
www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Roman_Colosseum.html.
The money for the building came according to an inscription whose translation means:
"Emperor Caesar Vespasian Augustus had this new amphitheatre erected with the spoils of war" probably the Palestinian war and the plundering of the Temple of Jerusalem.
The spectacle inside the amphitheatre was not as glorious as the construction.
For the inauguration in 80 AD by the Emperor Titus there were 100 days of "munera" i.e. fights with gladiators and "venationes" fights with wild animals.
The difference between Greek and Roman mentality was very visible here. Romans liked strong emotions; entertainment showing more dignity like athletic competitions was not in favour with the Roman public as it was with the Greeks.
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 by monorailgold
The colosseum combo is covered by the romapass. With the romapass you get entrance into the three sites for 2 days and you get to bypass the lines. Just go to the line marked for tours and use your pass. The three sites only count as one site on your romapass. Leave a Comment Address: colosseumDirections: base of the forum, you cant miss it.
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 Il Colosseo alla notte
(The Coliseum at night) by Lacristina
But first, how to avoid the lines.
1. Buy your ticket at the Palatine Hill entrance. A ticket allows you entrance to both the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum. The entrance to the Palatine is only about 200 meters southwest of the Coliseum. Just follow the path, around the Arch of Constantine, buy your ticket there. Then walk back, past the line at the entrance (the line should form on the right, but often snakes over to the left). Walk up to the turnstiles, place your ticket in the slot, and voila, you're in!
2. There are actually 2 lines at the Coliseum - one for tickets, one for tickets plus audio guide (an extra 4 euros). The audio guide line is always much shorter.
3. Buy the Rome Archeologia Card which costs 20 euros and will gain you entrance to a number of archeological sites including the Coliseum, Palatine Hill, Baths of Caracalla, the National Museum of Rome, etc. You can buy this ticket at any of these sites all of which have a shorter line (most likely, no line) than the Coliseum, then just bypass the line as above. It's valid for 7 days.
4. Make a reservation by phone: 39 06 3996 7700. But I would wait to see what the weather is like. There is a special ticket window to pick up your reserved ticket, so again, no waiting in line.
5. Make a reservation on the internet. (read the fine print): http://www.pierreci.it/do/show/list/20
6. Take a commercial tour. There are a some cheesy "guides" hawking tours outside the Coliseum. Better to go with a reputable company. Leave a Comment Address: You CANNOT miss it!Phone: 39 06 3996 7700 reservationsDirections: Southeast end of the Roman Forum - next to Via dei Fori ImperialiWebsite: http://www.pierreci.it/do/show/list/20 for reservations
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The Rome Pass gets you into 2 Museums, including the Colosseo if you choose, without waiting in lines + 3 days free transportation - or, you can pay a Colloseum tour guide double the 11€ entrance price just for the Coliseum (more than the 18 € cost of the Rome Pass) and hear its history which is nice also - I took the Rome Pass and bought a book with a neat overlay depicting the ancient history. It opens at 8:30 a.m. - closing time varies. Official website below.
It's true name is the "Anfiteatrum Flavium" (Flavian Amphitheater). However you choose to spell it, most people find it, rush to see it - this ancient Roman amphitheatre is, most often, the first destination for visitors. And, if you happen to be one of the few who choose not to visit Rome's icon, you would still be unable to avoid the sight of it. It is immense and has been called "Colosseo" due to its colossal proportions and proximity to the Colossus of Nero.
The numbers: occupies 3,357 square meters - external ellipse 188 x 156 meters - 49 meters tall. Elliptical in shape: 187 meters at the long end and 155 meters at the short end.
The material: Great variety - Travertine from the Tivoli area - Tufa, a soft volcanic rock - Concrete that you now see because the original marble facade was stripped - Bricks for the non-structural walls and screens - Marble for the facade, which was subsequently harvested for the construction of other Rome monuments and Basilicas.
The history: A bloody history - built by Jewish prisoners - the primary site of carnage (both human and animal) through Roman gladiator "games." Construction began by Vespasian in 72 A.D. - completed in 80 A.D. by his son, Titus.
Ancient Romans cultivated the war-like spirit here that drove them to conquer the world in their era. Their bloody games ended at the beginning of the 5th Century when the monk, Telemachus, entered the arena to put himself between gladiators. He was martyred there but the games did come to an end.
PHOTOS - Colloseum in different light
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 Rome's Colosseum by deecat
On my first visit to Rome, I was very excited about seeing the Colosseum. As we walked closer to its location, and we actually saw it, I was somewhat disappointed. It was not nearly as large as I had imagined. The tourist gimmicks bothered me with such things as the fake guards dressed in period costume charging a good deal of money to have a picture taken with them and the hawkers trying to sell their tacky trinkets.
But then, I shook myself and realized that this might be my only time to view such an historical place. Once I focused on the positive, I discovered fascinating details.
I discovered that the Ludi Circenses were the favorite shows of the Romans (games that were invented in the last days of the Republic to develop a war-like spirit which had made them the conquerors of the world.)
Thus, the professional gladiators came into being, and they were trained to fight to the death. As time moved on, the kinds of animals the gladiators had to fight became more and more wild. It is said that "9000 wild animals were killed during the hundred days of festivity to celebrate the dedication of the Colosseum."
The area was also used to stage naval battles. In order to accomplish this, they would flood the arena!
Constantine and his successors did try to stop the gladiatorial fights but to no avail. The Romans would not give up their favorite form of entertainment. They changed the fights to an animal hunt about the 6th century.
I can just imagine how marvelous this amphitheatre was in its glory days. We are all lucky that at least some of this historical structure has endured and is still the pride of Rome and a must see for visitors to marvel at. Leave a Comment Directions: At the end of the Via dei Fori Imperiali
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The Colosseum is one of the most famous building in the world and rates high on my list of the most important archeological monuments that I have ever visited. The Colosseum was begun in A.D. 72 when it was originally know as the Flavian Amphitheatre. The Colosseum is known as such for it was built by the three Flavian emperors, Vespasian, Titus and Domitian.
When completed the Colosseum must have been a stunning building. It's exterior was highly decorative with, Iconic, Doric and Corinthian columns. The interior seated 60,000 people. The Colosseum could also be canopied to cover the audience on rainy days or from the hot summer sun. The seats, rows and sections were numbered much like they are today in modern stadiums.
The sport that the Colosseum played host to must have been quite exciting for it was here that the gladiators fought. The battles between these gladiators were quite elaborate. Often teams of them would fight each other resulting in a gory bloodbath. The floor of the Colosseum could actually be flooded so that small naval vessels could go to war against each other.
The Colosseum fell into disuse when Rome became Christianized in the 4th century A.D. The walls of the Colosseum began to fall apart, the result of both earthquake, neglect and the need for stones to build the walls that surround Rome. You now can see beneath the wooden floor of the Colosseum where today there is nothing more than a maze of walls and passages.
The Colosseum is a easy place to visit for people of all ages regardless of health. There are elevators that can take you up to upper tiers of the building in case the stairs are too difficult. There is also an audio guide that can be rented for 3.75 Euros. There are also guided tours in English throughout the day. It costs 6.50 Euros to visit the Colosseum. The hours of admission to the Coloseeum is staggered throughout the year but during the height of tourist season, it is open from 9am to 7pm Leave a Comment Phone: 06-700-4261Directions: Piazzale del Colosseo, Via dei Fori Imperiali. It is virtually across the street from the Roman Forum
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 Map of Colosseum, Roman Forum,
and Platine Hill by Mozumbus, 4 more photos
There is no need to buy the ticket in advance or through internet unless you have specific reasons for doing so. The best and the tested method is to buy the ticket from the entrance of Roman Forum and not from Colosseum. I got this tip from fellow VTers, tried it and found it making a lot of sense. Finding the entrance of Roman Forum is not tricky, once you see the Colosseum don't enter into Colosseum's premises and rather ask for Roman Forum from someone and you will be there.
The ticket office at the Forum is located just inside the premises, you will most probably see no or very few people in the queue. After getting your ticket, you may like to refer to the map showing legends fixed on the left of the ticket office.
There are host of reasons to start your trip from Roman Forum rather from Colosseum. There is always a queue at Colosseum which will eat your one precious hour, if not more, and will have a toll on your energy also. Secondly, the impression of Colosseum is so deep, specially for first time visitors like me, that you may loose interest in the ruins, which require fresh mind in order for one to appreciate the genius. If you plan well and start your trip early in the morning, say 9 am in summers, then you may like to avoid the afternoon heat as most parts of Roman Forum and Platine Hill are not covered, on the other hand you will have the luxury of shade in Colosseum. Finally and most importantly, going from Roman Forum to Colosseum is easier. Why? Actually there is pedestrian street that joins both these sites but this street is one way, so if you want to come to Forum from Colosseum then you need to come out of the premises and enter again from the entrance of Roman Forum.
Have a great time! Leave a Comment
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You can't go to Rome and not visit the Colosseum that would be a sin. It was started around 70AD by the emperor Vespasian and finished in 80AD by his son the emperor Titus. My favourite thing about the Colesseum is the sheer size of it, it can rival any modern stadium. It had a capacity of seating 50 000 spectators, it was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as executions. It now costs 12 euros to get in and includes entrance to the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum and the tickets are good for 2 days so you don't have to see everything in a day but they are so close together it is worth seeing it all at once, imo. I also suggest getting your tickets from the Palatine Hill office because the queue's aren't as long as the ones at the Colosseum. You can pay the extra 10euros and go in with a tour guide and not wait in any queue's but I recommend doing it on your own because the tours can get quite large. For older people and people with wheelchairs. there is an elevator. It is also quite easy to get to by metro. Just take the A line to Termini and transfer to the B line, the station is called Colosseo, you can't get much more straightforward than that. Address: The Colosseo station on the B line metroDirections: Just across the street from the Colosseo station
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