Where is the Coliseum and what is it?

Perhaps there is no one who does not know where the Colosseum is. All of us from the school history course know that this grandiose structure is in Italy. Every tourist who has arrived in Rome can not pass by this building, which was built in the beginning of our era and preserved to our days. It was located in the eastern part of the entrance to the Roman Forum. Not to notice the Colosseum is impossible, as it is constantly surrounded by crowds of tourists, nearby buzzing cars are passing by, and its height is equivalent to the height of a 15-storey building.

If to consider the sights of Italy, then this architectural structure takes among them one of the leading positions in attendance and attractiveness for travelers. One of the most frequent questions that locals hear from foreigners: "Where is the Colosseum?" This monumental building was originally called Flavia's amphitheater, its construction began in 72 and ended in 80 AD.

For the construction of this creation, an artificial lake was chosen near the Golden House of Nero. The Colosseum in Italy at that time was the most grandiose and majestic building. It was an ellipse - 188 m in length and 156 m in width. In its walls could collect up to 50,000 spectators at a time. Special mechanical devices allowed to stretch a huge awning, protecting guests from the scorching sun or rain.

Today, this unique architectural creation is in ruins, and was once a visiting card of the state, glorifying the Ancient Rome for the whole world. The Colosseum regularly gathered spectators from all over Italy to exciting and at the same time cruel and bloody spectacles. In honor of his opening, the festival lasted for 100 days, during which time thousands of gladiatorial fights were held, both with each other, and with exotic predatory animals brought here from all corners of the empire.

In those days, absolutely everyone knew where the Coliseum was, from the nobility to simple peasants. The building had 80 separate entrances, which allowed viewers to take their seats in just 15 minutes and leave the building in 5 minutes. For the emperor a special box was intended, then ministers and representatives of the nobility sat: the easier the people, the higher their places were.

The Colosseum had secret underground corridors through which gladiators ascended the arena, and there were also cages with dangerous beasts that were thrown out by special mechanisms directly onto the stage. For carrying out sea fights, the arena was specially flooded with water. Fighters were prisoners of war, slaves or criminals. The games were conducted with the aim of increasing the prestige of the ruler, showing the power of his power.

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, people began to forget where the Colosseum was, because it was no longer used for events. The structure itself suffered from fires, earthquakes and human greed. Two-thirds of the building was dismantled during the Middle Ages to build temples, squares, castles. The Coliseum has turned into a kind of quarry. Now this once-grandiose structure is of interest to millions of tourists who come to Rome every year to see the miracle of architectural thought.