An amphitheatre's circular construction is designed to provide view from every seat in the arena. The Colosseum's outside facade is made up of four levels, the bottom three of which are made up of 80 arches each. The arches allow the structure's massive scale to be achieved structurally. They also provide shade for those who attend games held under sunny conditions.
The arches are identical in shape and size, measuring 60 feet high by 20 feet wide. They're made of concrete with marble decorations inside and out. It would take about 40,000 molds of hands to make all the arches that cover the Colosseum.
The arches were originally covered in white plaster before being painted red. The original colors can still be seen today if you know where to look. In some places, the plaster has fallen away to reveal the original red stone underneath.
The arches were added over time as part of efforts to expand the Colosseum. When it was first built, the space within the walls was closed off to create a single large arena. As more and more people came to watch the gladiators fight, the Colosseum needed more room to accommodate them. So managers started building bridges connecting one section of the arena to another, creating larger areas where fights could be staged multiple times during the day. There are currently three such bridges standing today, numbers 4, 6 and 7.
A magnificent amphitheater The striking facade included three storeys of arched entrances—around 80 in total—supported by semi-circular columns. Each floor had a balcony around the entire perimeter, allowing people to view the action below.
The construction cost was 1 million sestertii ($60,000). It took four years to complete (ten months at $20,000 a month). The final price includes an estimate for food for 20,000 people for eight days (the average attendance over its lifetime).
During this time, Rome was on a scale not seen since the Republic and Empire times. There were gladiator contests every day in the Circus Maximus. Thousands of people came to see humans fight to the death for their entertainment. Some sources say that as many as 10,000 people could fit into the circus at once.
The Colosseum is one of Rome's most famous landmarks and there are many things to see inside it. The upper floors of the building were set aside for private rooms or offices while the lower floors were divided into halls where fights would take place. There were three such fighting areas known as "hells" (or "areas").
The Colosseum was built using arches and columns. This arrangement allowed weight to be transmitted down to the ground without damaging the amphitheater itself. The Colosseum appeared to be a spectacular construction from the outside. It is estimated that it contained about 10,000 seats for spectators.
Inside the arena were two levels for seating. The upper level had wooden benches, while the lower one had stone tiers. Both levels were accessible by ramps from the main floor of the stadium. In addition, there were tunnels under the stands that led to private rooms for attendants who kept order during games.
The Colosseum was built as a monument to the glory of the Roman Empire. It consisted of an arena where battles were held to entertain the public, and a set of theaters where gladiator contests took place. There were four major and three minor theaters at the Colosseum. In time, these halls would become famous for their role in creating some of history's most beloved characters: Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Hamlet... the list goes on!
The building of the Colosseum was begun in 72 AD by Emperor Vespasian. It was completed in 80 AD after many difficulties caused by its original designer's lack of experience.
The Colosseum is a Roman Empire amphitheatre erected in Rome by the Flavian emperors. The Flavian Amphitheatre is another name for it. It is an oval edifice built of stone, concrete, and tuff that reaches four floors tall at its peak. The structure was used for entertainment purposes including sports events and blood rituals. It has been suggested that the original form of the stadium may have had 12 levels but this remains unproven.
The Colosseum was built as a venue for gladiatorial contests but it also played an important role in the development of modern sports. The first modern Olympics were held in Rome in 1896, almost a hundred years after the construction of the Colosseum.
It is estimated that when it was first built, the Colosseum was an audience of up to 50,000 people. This would make it the largest single-purpose building in the world at that time. In its day, it was considered one of the most influential structures in the history of architecture.
The word "Colosseum" is derived from the Greek word koloss, which means "colossus". According to ancient historians, this huge structure made Rome's emperor, Vespasian (r. 69-79 AD), who was responsible for its construction, "the greatest builder in the world".