Colosseum, Rome

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Come to the Colosseum, that is. Impossible to mistake for anything else, impossible to miss off the places to visit whilst in Rome, impossible to find something new to say about it - however, the Colosseum cannot be ignored.

Crowds are almost inevitable, but queuing for an hour or more is not. Timing helps, both the time of year and the time of day. Get up early or leave your visit until quite late in the day and you stand a better chance of avoiding long lines. If that's not possible, tickets are valid for entry to the Colosseum, the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum (that last one is new this year - 2008), with a ticket office at each place. The queue at the Colosseum ticket office is almost always huge, at both the Palatine Hill and the Forum it is most unlikely to have anything more than a few people at any time of day. Buy your ticket there and you can walk straight up to the much shorter "ticket holder" queue at the Colosseum and be inside in a fraction of the time. You'll have to walk an extra few hundred yards but that's less frustrating than a long slow shuffle.

Up to you whether you opt for a guided tour (audio- or tour-guide-led), refer to a guide book or simply wander about at your own pace. We're very much "work it out for yourself " tourists so took the last option. As well as being an awesome structure, inside and out, there's a fantastic views to be had of the adjacent Arch of Constantine and the ruins in the vicinity.

All the usual warnings about major tourist attractions everywhere apply here too - crowds and pickpockets go together, rip-off prices and shonky souvenir sellers abound. Keep a firm hold on your bag to avoid the first lot and, if you don't want to feel affronted by the rest, don't buy in to any of it. No-one actually forces you to have your photo to have your photo taken with Spartacus, and he has his tanning sessions to pay for.

If you think you may be able to claim to concession entry prices, make sure you have some ID with you. MrL's Australian Driving Licence gained him free entry here and to government-controlled sites all over Italy as there are reciprocal seniors arrangements between our governments. You need to ask, and the person selling you your ticket needs proof that you are the age/status you say you are as well as the nationality.

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...it's almost impossible to go to Rome without, at least, glimpsing the Coliseum. This amphitheater/stadium is so amazing – it was built over 1900 years ago, yet it still looks great. It is definitely a must see, even if you can’t make it inside it is worth seeing the outside.

Colosseum...Of all the monuments in Rome, we chose to start with the Colosseum...I always wanted to see with my own eyes the place where gladiator fights were held.
Emperor Vespasian, founder of the Flavian Dynasty, started construction of the Colosseum in AD 72. It was inaugurated in AD 80 by his son Titus, a year after Vespasian's death. The huge amphitheater was built on the part of Nero's huge park in the center of Rome, which also included the Golden House (Domus Aurea) and the nearby Colossus, "tall statue" of Nero. The name Colosseum has long been believed to be derived from this statue. The Colosseum was used by emperors to entertain the public with games, which usually started with comical acts and displays of exotic animals and ended with gladiator fights.
We revisited the Colosseum at night. It was not crowded there as it was during the day and in illumination the ruins looked trully magestic. Unfortunately the pictures turned out too dark...Oh well I am not a great photographer. I would recommend seeing it in the light of day and at night.

When in Rome you really must go and see the Colloseum even if you just go outside like we did to avoid the queues and to save money. It really is amazing and you can see Palantine Hill beside it.

You really get a feel of the stuff that used to go on there - it just looks so ancient and monumental.

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wow, what a huge height, 57 mtrs. beautifull build around 72 ac.
i was overwhelmed by this amphitheatre, standing here and was thinking of ancient times and imagined the people who lived there at the time, must have been an amazing time.
Rome pass for 20 or another pass for 25 euro

this is the most touristy place in rome, and you will be bombarded with vendors. it's all crap. just enjoy what is there and try not to let the vendors bother you. this building is worth a genuine visit and classically beautiful in its decomposition.

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The Roman Colosseum or Coliseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, was commisioned in AD 72 by Emperor Vespasian. It was completed by his son, Titus, in 80, with later improvements by Domitian.

The Colosseum is located just east of the Roman Forum and was built to a practical design, with its 80 arched entrances allowing easy access to 55,000 spectators, who were seated according to rank. The Coliseum is huge, an ellipse 188m long and 156 wide. Originally 240 masts were attached to stone corbels on the 4th level.

Vespesian ordered the Colosseum to be build on the site of Nero's palace, the Domus Aurea, to dissociate himself from the hated tyrant.
His aim was to gain popularity by staging deadly combats of gladiators and wild animal fights for public viewing. Massacre was on a huge scale: at inaugural games in AD 80, over 9,000 wild animals were killed.

Roman gladiators were usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Most were men, but there were a few female gladiators. These combats were attended by the poor, the rich, and frequently the emperor himself. As gladiators fought, vicious cries and curses were heard from the audience around the Roman Colosseum. One contest after another was staged in the course of a single day. Should the ground become too soaked with blood, it was covered over with a fresh layer of sand and the performance went on. The gladiatorial games continued until Christianity progressively put an end to those parts of them which included the death of humans.

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Deb wrote: We got off the sightseeing bus at the Coliseum and saw some people who had been in line with us the preceding day. Anyway, the Coliseum was as interesting as a ruin would be.

Barb's son wrote: My grandmother wanted to see the Coliseum. Our driver told us that people used parts of it to make other things, and that one of the popes tried to destroy it.

Opening hours from 8:30 am to one hour before sunset (Good Friday 8:30 am - 2 pm, June 2 1:30 pm - 7:15 pm):

8:30 am - 4:30 pm from January 2 to February 15
8:30 am - 5 pm from February 16 to March 15
8:30 am - 5:30 pm from March 16 to last Saturday of March
8:30 am - 7:15 pm from last Sunday of March to August 31
8:30 am - 7 pm from September 1 to September 30
8:30 am - 6:30 pm from October 1 to last Saturday of October
8:30 am - 4:30 pm from last Sunday of October to December 31

Closed January 1, December 25. Ticket office closes one hour before closing time

Tickets COLOSSEO/FORO ROMANO and PALATINO valid 2 days:

ADULTS € 9,00 + € 2,00 (for exhibitions)
REDUCED FEE € 4,50 + € 2,00 (for exhibitions) for European Union members between 18 and 24 years old
FREE ENTRANCE for persons under 18 and over 65 years old from the European Union

ENTRANCE RESERVATION individuals € 1,50