|
|
| .. |
Nicole's
Travelogues and Budget Travel Tips..
|
|
|
THE COLOSSEUM, ITALY
The Colosseum is the most impressive and famous building of the Roman empire. Originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater, it was the largest building of the era. Emperor Vespasian, founder of the Flavian Dynasty, started construction of the Colosseum in AD 72. It was completed in AD 80, the year after Vespasian's death. The huge amphitheater was built on the site of an artificial lake, part of Nero's huge park in the center of Rome which also included the Golden House (Domus Aurea) and the nearby Colossus statue. This giant statue of Nero also gave the building its current name.
Anyway, when you walk towards the entrance, guides will swarm you. The tours are expensive and it is just as easy to eavesdrop on an English-speaking tour inside. We went through security and the guard proceeded to ask me if I knew Bin Laden and if I was a terrorist (I won't go into the other racist, Muslim-bashing things that happened to me in Rome but there were quite a few ensuring that I won't return.). Anyway, after security we paid 11 Euros to enter the Colosseum.
Above the ground are four stories, the upper stories were seating for lower classes and women and the lower stories were for the rich. Hummm sounds extremely similar to seating at the Oakland Coliseum and all other sporting/concert venues today! Below the ground were prison cells and cages containing wild animals. The cages could be hoisted, enabling the animals to appear in the middle of the arena.
|
The southern side of the Colosseum was felled by an earthquake in 847. Parts of the building - including the marble facade - were used for the construction of later monuments, including the St. Peter's Basilica. The Colosseum still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession to the amphitheatre each Good Friday.
|
You can get to the Colosseum taking the metro and exiting at the Colosseo station (ha ha duh!). When we arrived, the Colosseum was indeed spectacular! Though the 'actors' dressed in historic gladiator attire were corny.
We were too cheap to pay for a guide but did get the audio guide for 4 Euros. We listened to it for a bit but the audio guide was not very helpful, so we gave up and tried to eavesdrop on some of the English tours walking around. Lots of bad hoodoo at the coliseum as was expected. The Romans were such a violent people! (and still are as Lisa and I discovered!). Tens of thousands of animals and humans were murdered in ridiculous blood fests - they also stole women from the East to hold weekends of gang rape tournaments. Yikes! I felt dirty after being in that place! 
The Colosseum could accommodate 45,000 to 55,000 spectators who could enter the building through 80 entrances. 
