Marvel at the Coliseum

You can't visit Rome without seeing one of the world's most iconic sights, the magnificent Coliseum. The Colosseum is an oval amphitheatre located in Rome, Italy, immediately east of the Roman Forum. It is the biggest ancient amphitheatre ever erected and, despite its antiquity, the largest standing amphitheatre in the world today. Travertine limestone, tuff (volcanic rock), and brick-faced concrete were used to construct the Colosseum. In the early medieval period, the edifice was no longer utilized for entertainment. It was eventually used for houses, workshops, religious order apartments, a castle, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.

Despite being significantly damaged by earthquakes and stone robbers stealing spolia, the Colosseum remains an iconic emblem of Imperial Rome and was named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. It is one of Rome's most prominent tourist sites, and it also has connections to the Roman Catholic Church, as the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession that begins in the region around the Colosseum every Good Friday. The Colosseum is portrayed on the five-cent euro coin in Italy. The amphitheater is most renowned for the gladiator contests that used to take place here, and you may sit in the stands and envision the brutal shows that used to take place here for the entertainment of the audience.

Location: Piazza del Colosseo 1, Rome, Lazio 00184