Colosseum Rome
The Colosseum in Rome is an extraordinary place that deserves to be visited at least once in a lifetime.We offer useful information about the monument and where to buy tickets.
After receiving more than 90 million votes to the initiative undertaken by B. Weber, the Colosseum was included in the list of the New Wonders of the World and was dedicated by formerUNESCO director general, Spaniard Federico Mayor: a masterpiece of unquestionable value, beloved by Romans and the world.
More than seven million tourists visit it each year.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and “One of the New Seven Wonders of the World,” the Colosseum is one of the most important and sought-after historical attractions in the world.
The whole area around the Colosseum, from theArch of Constantine to the Roman Forums, is a true outdoor archaeological site that is worth seeing at least once in a lifetime.
That is why visiting the Colosseum is and will always remain a must for every citizen of the world.
The Colosseum is one of the most visited archaeological sites in the world, with visitor numbers continually growing.
More than 60 million visitors have been estimated in the last of 10 years, with records of more than 7,000 per year.
SKIP-THE-LINE TICKET
Book your priority access!
This ticket grants priority access to the Colosseum, avoiding the long queues at the ticket office. It is the ideal solution for those who want to make the most of their time visiting the Colosseum without waiting.
TICKET + GUIDED TOUR
Experience an unforgettable time!
The ticket includes a guided tour conducted by a historian or archaeologist who will provide in-depth details and curiosities about the history of the Colosseum. Available in various languages, with the option to add other attractions as well: Roman Forum, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, etc...
CARD
Buy your pass and save!
This pass offers combined access to several attractions in Rome, including the Colosseum, Roman Forum, St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, Pantheon, etc. City audio guide, airport transfer, public transport.
Do you want to book a ticket to the Colosseum?
Buying your Colosseum tickets online, even before arriving in Rome, is certainly the best way to skip the line at the ticket office, have priority over entrances, choose the best experience and tailor it according to your needs.
Warning: Skip-the-line tickets and guided tours of the Colosseum in Rome can sell out well in advance, so it is advisable to book tickets online in advance to avoid disappointment.
It is very difficult to purchase tickets on the spot, so be sure to purchase Colosseum tickets online through our website.
Attention: The most fascinating part of the Colosseum is thearena and the underground part, which attracts most visitors.
Always check if your tour includes such entrance!
Guided tours of the Colosseum, from € 42.00 – Book your visit
Skip-the-line ticket without underground access, from € 18.00 – Book your ticket
Want to visit the Colosseum with a language guide? Book your tour here.
CONVENIENCE. Buy Rome City Pass includes combined access to several of Rome’s attractions, including the Colosseum and major archaeological sites.
Sold out?
No tickets available?
Check out the dates of this rarely sold-out tour.
Opening Hours
March 31-September 30: Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. – Last entry at 6:30 p.m.
October 1-October 29: Daily from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
October 27-March 30: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Closed January 1, May 1 and December 25.
Tours
Tours and guided tours of the Colosseum
Guided tours of the Colosseum are unique and engaging experiences that take you on a discovery of one of the world’s most famous monuments.
With expert guidance, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the thousand-year history of theFlavian Amphitheater and discover the hidden secrets of this marvel of antiquity.
You will admire the majesty of the building up close, walk through the corridors that led to the seats, visit the basement, and experience the thrill of standing in a place that saw epic historical events unfold.
Card
The Omnia Card Roma is a card that provides access to some of the city’s most famous tourist attractions, such as the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel.
With this card, users can avoid lines and save valuable time, as well as enjoy free public transportation and discounts at some restaurants and stores.
The bus hop-on hop-off card is a sightseeing service that allows you to explore Rome comfortably aboard sightseeing buses.
With this card, you can hop on and off the bus whenever you want at any of the city’s many points of interest, such as the Colosseum, the Vatican, Piazza Navona and many others.
The card has several options, including tours with a duration of 24, 48 or 72 hours, and allows you to see Rome’s most important monuments without the stress of traffic and parking.
Your visit to the Colosseum
Other Monuments
Take your time to visit.
The Colosseum, Palatine, and Roman Forum cover a great deal of space and with so many crowds of tourists around, it can take quite a few hours to get through everything you want to see.
The Name of the Colosseum
There are several myths and legends about the coliseum, and we treat them as such.
By searching, reading and listening, we have collected some curiosities that come from the past and some questions that come out in the present.
the first thing to deal with is definitely about the name colosseum and since when and why it started to be used instead of amphitheater flavio.
The origin is not certain; many like the idea that the appellation “colosseum” descends from the “colossus” of nerone, a huge statue (according to others of heliogabalus in the guise of the sun god), 30 m high, that stood next to the amphitheater roughly where the entrance to the metro station is today.
others think, simply, that the name underscores the (colossal) size of the circus itself, and another theory traces it to the site of the amphitheater, in ancient “collis isei” from a temple of isis that was on Mount Opium and gave its name to the district, called precisely “iseo.”
There is also a curious legend that the coliseum was a temple inhabited by demons.
the priests of this temple at the end of each ceremony would address the followers with the question, “colis eum?” (do you worship him? i.e., do you worship the leader of these demons? referring to the devil); hence the name of the monument, coliseum, would be derived.
The story of the demons lasted for a long time as even benvenuto cellini mentions it in one of his tales, where he relates that one night he went to the colosseum to witness demonic manifestations with his friend agnolino gaddi and these from the fright “made a istrombazzata di coregge with so much abundanzia di merda, la quale potette molto più che la zaffetica” and all the devils fled in great fury.
it seems that, beginning in the viii century, the Flavian amphitheater first assumed the name colyseus in an epigram by the venerable beda:
quamdiu stabat colyseus stabit et roma; quamdo cadet colyseus cadet et roma; quamdo cadet roma cadet et mundus.
as long as the coliseum stands, so will Rome; when the coliseum falls, so will Rome; when Rome falls, so will the world.
The Structure of the "Colosso" of Rome
The arena, the steps and the exterior the ancient genius, the architecture of the Flavian Amphitheater Colosseum in Rome.
Roman buildings are world famous for their solidity and ingenuity.
The architecture of the colosseum is the subject of study of several experts in the field, it is a complex and articulated structure, solid and harmonious, and still, some mechanisms used during the spectacles are not perfectly explained, for example, the flooding during the ludi with boats.
Roman engineers had the Greek theater as a model.
in the past, in fact, the verticalization of the building, was necessary to contain most of the spectators, as close as possible to the stage.
In the construction of the Greek theater, the natural slope of the hills where it was placed was exploited, but the genius of the Roman engineers was to join the load-bearing structures of two theaters to form an all-round theater (amphitheatron) which could hold twice as many spectators.
all this was also made possible by the evolution of building techniques, the experience acquired over the years, and the new and revolutionary building materials.
One fact is certain, genius, experience and technology combined together gave birth to the amphitheatrum flavium, an amazing theater that hosted a huge mass of people around a great show.
A full 52 meters high, the equivalent of a structure as high as 17 stories, the Colosseum manages to stand thanks to the brilliant construction technique of the arch, the architectural element used by the Romans to build aqueducts.
As many as 80 arches arranged on four floors go to create the Colosseum’s famous elliptical shape, which came to hold as many as 70,000 spectators.
About the Colosseum
Dimensions… colossal
The Colosseum is an elliptical building 189 meters long and 156 meters wide, covering an area of 24,000 square meters with a height of more than 48 meters.
It has about 80 entrances and could accommodate about 70,000 spectators.
Work in progress.
It took just over 5 years to build it: from 75 to 80 AD. More than 100,000 cubic meters of travertine were used for the external wall alone.
A name, a mystery.
In the beginning it was called Flavian Amphitheater (it was built by Vespasian and Titus of the Flavian dynasty, ed.).
The name “Colosseum” came only in the Middle Ages: the most widely accepted theory is that it is so called because it was built near the statue of Nero’s “colossus” that stood a few meters from the amphitheater.
Others say it derives from the location, because it would rise on a hill where a temple of Isis once stood (hence Collis Isei).
But there is also a black legend that it was formerly a pagan temple, where the devil was worshiped. And at the end of each ceremony the priests asked the followers: “Colis Eum?” (“Do you adore him?”).
Without the Colosseum there wouldn't be many historic buildings.
The marble of the facade and some of the interior parts of the Colosseum were used for the construction of St. Peter’s Basilica and also for civic buildings such as Palazzo Barberini.
Having fallen into neglect, for a long time the amphitheater was in fact used as a source of building materials.
This was the case until the 18th century, when love for the ancient remains of Rome returned.
It is estimated that over time only a third of what was the original construction remained.
Colosseum Tickets: Ticket Office and Information on the Colosseum in Rome
When it comes to getting tickets to the Colosseum, there are a number of options you can consider. Booking your ticket online is often the easiest choice for many tourists because it allows you to skip the line and eliminates long wait times when you purchase your ticket from the ticket office.
For travelers who have not planned ahead, there are the dreaded lines at ticket offices.
But don’t be fooled by the fact that the desk outside the Colosseum is the only place you can buy a ticket.
The lines here are long so if you don’t have time to wait you can always buy a tour online by taking advantage of a guided tour.
Quotes about the Roman Colosseum
“… alcuni mendicanti, accovacciati sotto le volte in rovina, avevano acceso un fuoco sulla nuda terra e un vento lieve spingeva appena il fumo verso l’arena… ci siamo fermati presso al cancello, ad osservare. brillava, alta, la luna; e a poco a poco il fumo, che sfuggiva attraverso le pareti, le fessure, le aperture, ne fu illuminato come una nebbia.”
J.W Goethe
1786/7 traveling in italy
“Vedo il suo mare immenso in gradini coperti da una folla di Romani; ecco i senatori; ecco il velo purpureo steso sopra la folla, il cui mormorio sembra quello di un mare in lontananza; poi il mormorio si muta in grida di gioia, grida selvagge, e quest’arena oggi così calma e silenziosa mi appare tinta di sangue…”
Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
1836 Lettres D'Italie
“… Sotto i piedi abbiamo, nell’incanto della luna, il Colosseo, simbolo della storia colossale dell’impero, quasi una enorme conca marmorea in cui questa Roma ha raccolto il sangue di tutto il mondo. Dall’altro versante l’occhio si spande sulla città eterna, migliaia di lumi brillano, ma la città è silenziosa…”
Gregorovius
1858 In Walks Through Italy.
Il Colosseo di giorno, al chiaro di luna, a lume di torcia e con ogni sorta di luce è quanto di più stupendo e terribile.
charles dickens
1844-45
The Colosseum is like the skull of Argos: in the empty circles
clouds swim to it, a reminder of the ancient flock.
iosif brodsky
1974
“Roma esisterà finché il Colosseo lo farà; quando il Colosseo cadrà, lo farà anche Roma; quando cadrà Roma, così farà il mondo. “
Venerable Bede
672 AD
Tips And Info
Visiting the Colosseum is one of the main activities in the city of Rome, which is why it is easy to find long lines at the site to get entrance tickets, especially during the middle hours of the day.
Remember that Rome is in all months of the year taken by storm by tourists.
Even trying to go early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid long lines can result in a long wait (the average wait lasts between 45 and 60 minutes).
One of the best ways to avoid long lines is to buy your tickets online, choosing between priority admission and guided tours.
To visit the Colosseum the best time is in the morning at the time of ‘opening, between 8:30 am and 10:30 am, or in the late afternoon between 5 pm and 7 pm.
At least two hours, approximately, are required for the visit.
Here are some options for buying tickets to visit the Colosseum, one of the most popular attractions in Rome and all of Italy.
In some of these options you also have the option of visiting the nearby Roman Forum and Palatine.
The Roman Forum and Palatine, in fact, are located right in front of the Colosseum, and to see them from the outside without being able to enter them would be a real shame.
So not only priority entrance and skip-the-line tickets, but real experiences created ad hoc.