The Colosseum, located east of the Roman Forum, was commissioned around 70-72 A.D. by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian Dynasty as a gift to the people of Rome. In 80 A.D., Titus, son of Vespasian, opened the Colosseum and was officially known as the Flavian Amphitheater. It was inaugurated with 100 days of games, including gladiatorial combats and wild animal fights and was finally completed in the reign of Domitian, the other son.
The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheater is a large ellipsoid arena. The construction started in the reign of Vespasian on the site where the lake and gardens of Emperor Nero’s Golden House once were. As a precaution for potential earthquake damage, the lake was drained and concrete foundations six meters deep were put down.
The Flavian Amphitheater or Aphiteatrum Flavium (as it was known to the Romans) was the biggest building of its kind. It had four stories and stood over 45 meters high.
After four centuries of active use, the magnificent arena fell into neglect, and up until the 18th century, it was used as a source of building materials. Though most of the arena has been destroyed over time, the Colosseum still stands as a popular tourist attraction, as well as an iconic symbol of Rome and its long history. Restoration efforts began in the 1990s and have proceeded over the years.
On Good Friday, the Pope leads a torchlit “Way of the Cross” procession to the Colosseum. The execution of early Christians in the arena has caused the Catholic Church to consider it as a place sanctified by the blood of martyrs.
Learn more famous architectural designs of the past when you visit this Jonathan Bunge blog.
The Colosseum or Flavian Amphitheater is a large ellipsoid arena. The construction started in the reign of Vespasian on the site where the lake and gardens of Emperor Nero’s Golden House once were. As a precaution for potential earthquake damage, the lake was drained and concrete foundations six meters deep were put down.
The Flavian Amphitheater or Aphiteatrum Flavium (as it was known to the Romans) was the biggest building of its kind. It had four stories and stood over 45 meters high.
After four centuries of active use, the magnificent arena fell into neglect, and up until the 18th century, it was used as a source of building materials. Though most of the arena has been destroyed over time, the Colosseum still stands as a popular tourist attraction, as well as an iconic symbol of Rome and its long history. Restoration efforts began in the 1990s and have proceeded over the years.
On Good Friday, the Pope leads a torchlit “Way of the Cross” procession to the Colosseum. The execution of early Christians in the arena has caused the Catholic Church to consider it as a place sanctified by the blood of martyrs.
Learn more famous architectural designs of the past when you visit this Jonathan Bunge blog.
