Skip the Line Colosseum with Arena Floor + Professional Guided Tour

You’ll visit huge amphitheater, standing since the 1st. Century A.D., where about 55 thousand spectators once watched the games of wild beats and contests of gladiators.

VIP Package let you experience the best of Roman life. You’ll learn the myths and stories about the Colosseum where incredible shows once took place and the reasons for its construction in history.

After your amazing trip, you’ll have a look at the Roman Forum – the center of the ancient city’s trade network- and Palatine Hill, where Rome was founded by Romulus.

Useful Info

The Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater) remains the most memorable monument surviving from ancient Rome. Its construction began in 72 CE by Vespasian on the site of the Stagnum Neronis, an artificial lake built by Emperor Nero near his house on the adjacent Oppian Hill for his pleasure.

The Colosseum was eventually dedicated by Titus in 80 CE. It is recorded that at the building’s opening ceremony, which lasted three months, over 500 exotic beasts and many hundreds of gladiators were slain in the arena. These types of spectacles lasted until 405 CE when they were abolished. The building was severely damaged by an earthquake in the fifth century CE and since then it has been used as a fortress and as a supply source for construction material for Vatican buildings.

What we see today is nothing compared to what the building used to look like. In its prime, it was covered with marble, and each portico was filled with a marble statue of some important Roman.

The Colosseum used to be fully elliptical and could hold over 50,000 people. Each of the three tiers is supported by a different set of columns: Doric for the base, Ionic for the middle, and Corinthian for the top. Inside, the first tier of seats was reserved for the knights and tribunes, the second tier for citizens, and the third tier for the lower classes. The Emperor, Senators, Government Officials and Vestal Virgins sat on marble thrones on a raised platform that went around the entire arena.

Inside the arena, we can see vestiges of the subterranean passages that were used to transport the wild beasts. Human-powered elevators were employed to get the animals up to the Colosseum floor. At times the arena was flooded to allow for the performance of mock naval battles. Unremarkable architecturally, the Colosseum is still an engineering marvel to admire. A great site for kids to explore.