In the second in this series of Verona Highlights, I want to tell you a little bit about the Arena in Verona.
From the City of Verona website (http://www.comune.verona.it/turismo/Passeggiando/inglese/itineraryA/arena.htm)
"THE ARENA
The Romans built the Amphitheatre outside Verona's first circle of city walls in the first part of the 1st century AD. It hosted games where gladiators would fight each other or wild animals before a vast public that came from all over the territory. The Arena held around 30,000 spectators and had four main entrances, corresponding to its two axes."
The Romans built the Amphitheatre outside Verona's first circle of city walls in the first part of the 1st century AD. It hosted games where gladiators would fight each other or wild animals before a vast public that came from all over the territory. The Arena held around 30,000 spectators and had four main entrances, corresponding to its two axes."
"The facade, of which there is still a small section (the so-called "Ala" or "Wing"), was entirely built in large blocks of white and pink limestone from nearby Valpolicella. In the Middle Ages, stones from the Arena were taken for use on other buildings. Later, it resumed its role as a site for shows and events: a role it continues to play today for the annual summer opera season, which began in 1913."
On our last trip to Verona, we went inside the arena. They charge about 7 dollars to get in and then you can go inside and explore. You can walk up all the steps to the top, stand at the edge and see Verona all around you. They were setting up for an opera for that evening. Here are some of our pictures.
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