Colosseum in Rome

The Colosseum in Rome, officially the Flavian Amphitheatre (Lat. Amphitheatrum Flavium), is the most extraordinary surviving structure of the Roman Empire and one of the world's most recognisable landmarks. Built between AD 70 and 80 under the emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian, it served four centuries as the stage for gladiatorial combat, wild animal hunts and elaborate public spectacles. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1980 and voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, it now draws over 7 million visitors a year.

The Roman Colosseum is routinely the most visited paid attraction in Italy. A visit inside is an experience that photographs simply cannot convey: the sheer scale of the auditorium, the direct view down to the arena floor and the engineering genius of the hypogeum beneath it all leave an impression that stays with you long after you leave.

History of the Colosseum in Rome

The decision to build the Colosseum was as much a political statement as an architectural one. Emperor Vespasian, who seized power in AD 69 after a year of civil war, chose to erect the world's largest amphitheatre on the precise spot where Nero had commandeered Rome's centre for his own private pleasure gardens and artificial lake. The message was clear: the heart of Rome was being returned to its people. Construction was funded largely by the spoils taken after the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in AD 70.

Vespasian's son, Emperor Titus, opened the amphitheatre in AD 80 with a hundred days of games, during which thousands of gladiators and almost nine thousand wild animals from Africa and the Near East were killed in the arena. His brother Domitian completed the structure by adding the hypogeum — the underground service level — and the fourth tier of seating. At its peak, in the first and second centuries AD, the Colosseum hosted tens of thousands of spectators every week throughout the games season.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century, the Colosseum gradually fell out of use as an entertainment venue. Throughout the Middle Ages it served as a fortress for noble families, then as an informal stone quarry from which pre-cut travertine was removed for use in churches, palaces and other Roman buildings. Estimates suggest that up to two-thirds of the original fabric disappeared this way. Systematic protection began in the eighteenth century when Pope Benedict XIV declared it a sacred site. The most recent major restoration project, funded by the Tod's Foundation, was completed in 2016.

Architecture of the Colosseum

The Colosseum is a triumph of Roman engineering. The elliptical structure measures 188 metres on its long axis and 156 metres on its short axis, with an original height of 57 metres. Over 100,000 cubic metres of travertine limestone from quarries at Tivoli, more than 300 tonnes of iron clamps and millions of bricks were used in its construction. Its defining features:

80 numbered entrances (vomitoria) assigned to specific sections of the auditorium, allowing 50,000 spectators to evacuate in under three minutes — a feat of crowd management that still impresses engineers today
Four storeys with arcades decorated by half-columns in Doric, Ionic and Corinthian order on successive levels
Arena floor of 83 by 48 metres laid with wooden planking covered in sand, from which the modern word arena derives
Hypogeum, a two-level labyrinth of tunnels, cages and thirty pairs of hydraulic lifts beneath the arena floor, added by Domitian approximately a decade after the Colosseum's inauguration
Velarium, a vast canvas awning operated by sailors from the fleet at Misenum, stretched over the open centre to shade spectators from the sun
Strictly hierarchical seating: senators in the front rows closest to the action, equestrians behind them, ordinary citizens above, and women and slaves at the very top

Today the external facade survives only on the northern side. The southern sections collapsed in earthquakes in AD 847 and 1349, and the fallen material was carted away and reused elsewhere in Rome.

What to See Inside the Colosseum

Panoramic view inside the Colosseum Rome

The Colosseum visit is divided into five distinct zones, each requiring a different ticket level. Decide in advance which areas matter most to you: special access zones sell out weeks ahead, particularly during peak season:

First and second tiers, standard ticket: the main galleries with direct views down to the arena and the exposed hypogeum, permanent exhibitions with original artefacts, a scale model of the Colosseum at its peak and digital reconstructions. Allow 1.5 hours for a comfortable self-guided visit.
Arena floor (Only Arena or Full Experience): stepping onto the level where the gladiators actually fought. Since late 2025, selected tours also include access to the Commodus Corridor, the secret passageway through which emperors reached their imperial box without mixing with the public.
Hypogeum (guided tours only): the two-storey labyrinth beneath the arena with original animal cages, gladiators' passageways and lifting mechanisms. Only accessible via guided tours with a maximum of 25 people (guide uses a whisper system from 10). Only around 2% of Colosseum visitors gain access to the underground. The most extraordinary area of the entire site.
Attic, fourth and fifth tiers (Full Experience): the highest levels with panoramic views across the entire interior and the rooftops of Rome. Accessible by lift from the Via Sacra entrance.
Roman Forum and Palatine Hill: included in the same ticket, freely visitable within 24 hours from first use of your Colosseum ticket.

Important: since October 2023 all Colosseum tickets are personalised. Name and surname of every visitor must be provided at the time of purchase. Valid photo ID is checked at the entrance. For underground and arena tours, see our guide to best Colosseum tours with underground.

Getting There and Practical Information

Address: Piazza del Colosseo 1, 00184 Rome, Italy — Official website: colosseo.it

Getting there

Metro Line B, Colosseo station, exit approximately 60 m from the main entrance
Bus ATAC, routes 51, 75, 81, 85, 87 and 118, stop Colosseo/Via Sacra
Tram line 3, stop Colosseo/Via Labicana
On foot from Piazza Venezia, about 20 minutes along Via dei Fori Imperiali
By car, not recommended — ZTL restricted zone with cameras

Opening times

Open every day except 1 January and 25 December
January to February: 9:00 to 16:30
March to April: 9:00 to 17:30
May to August: 9:00 to 19:00
September: 9:00 to 19:00
October: 9:00 to 18:30
November to December: 9:00 to 16:30

Practical notes: maximum bag size is 30 × 40 × 15 cm. Larger bags and wheeled luggage are not permitted and there is no left-luggage facility at the Colosseum or Forum. Prams are allowed in the Colosseum itself, but a soft baby carrier is strongly recommended for the Forum Romanum and underground areas. Small dogs (5–10 kg in a carrier) are permitted in the open areas of the Forum and Palatine Hill but not inside the Colosseum. More on booking in advance on the tickets page.