When was the arena in verona italy built

Things to Do. A Brief History of the Verona Arena. Verona's Arena seen from the street N Ione Wang. Give us feedback. Read Next View. Dolce Notte Apartment. La Corte di Giulietta Exclusive Suites. Relais Il Bacio del Sole. Altana Relais Verona Boutique Guesthouse. Butterfly Boutique Rooms.

Residenza Palazzo Brenzoni. Fiore d arancio suite. Il Relais dell'Abbazia. In the highest part, where the outermost wall was connected to the central body, there must have been a porch , now completely lost , where one could watch the shows standing up.

The cavea was divided into sections both to facilitate the entry and exit of spectators, and to divide them according to social classes. Although shows in Roman times were free, seats were assigned according to class : the patriots closest to the show, plebeians farthest away, slaves and foreigners standing in the portico highest.

The steps of the cavea were comfortable to sit on but very high and uncomfortable to climb. To facilitate moving up or down, the sectors were bounded by smaller steps. Each outer archway was numbered and constituted an entrance to the amphitheater. Ramps of stairs led to a corresponding sector within the cavea ending in a vomitorium. The vomitorium were the square openings that opened into the cavea.

This bizarre name derives from the fact that the crowd that came out of them rushing to grab the best seats had to give the impression of being literally vomited out.

Arena is actually only the name of a part of the amphitheater, although the most important, the "ring" where the fight took place. In Latin "arena" means sand and in fact the gladiators faced each other resting their feet on a substrate formed of this material. The sand has the characteristic of absorbing liquids, blood and animal excrement in this case, and to be easily replaced by cleaning up quickly the fighting space between a meeting and another.

The arena was separated from the bleachers by a wall about 1. It is likely that there was an additional fence above this to prevent rampaging animals from reaching the spectators in the front rows.

Gladiators, venators , orderlies and attendants entered the arena through two monumental arches placed at the ends of the longest axis of the ellipse. As in the Colosseum, there were also underground rooms under the Arena of Verona, although simpler than in the Flavian amphitheater. They are two corridors located under the axes of the ellipse. It is not clear what their function was and there is disagreement between historians and archaeologists.

According to some they could be used for spectacular entrances of gladiators and animals through trapdoors. According to others, they were just service rooms used to store props or to drain the monument. At the moment they are not accessible by visitors. The outermost ring of the amphitheater of Verona was almost completely destroyed in the earthquake of Only a section of four arches called the "wing" remains. It was entirely made of stone in a simple rusticated Tuscan style. Some of the arches must have been decorated with statues.

During archaeological excavations near the Arena, pieces of sculptures depicting the head with helmet of a gladiator and the fist of a boxer were found.

They are now on display at the Archaeological Museum of the Roman Theatre. The outer wall had not only a decorative function. Connected to it was the vault that supported the portico at the top of the cavea and the complex system of ropes and pulleys used to hoist the velarium.

It was the curtain that covered the spectators. In Roman times there was no electric lighting. The shows took place during the day and could last from dawn to dusk.

For those who sat and watched the games for the entire day, the direct sun was unbearable, especially in the summer season when most of the fighting took place. A cover to shade the audience was indispensable.

Considering the extension of thousands of square meters, however thin, the cloth must have had an immense weight. How it could be supported remains a mystery. The velarium , made of segments similar to sails hence the name , could be opened and closed by sectors and was maneuvered by sailors of the Roman fleet. The Arena of Verona has remained visible from the time of its construction to the present day and is still the largest building in the city.

If we too, with our knowledge and technology, are amazed at such a marvel of the past, the disbelief of the people of the Middle Ages must have been even greater. Detail of the fresco by the Veronese painter Pino Casarini depicting the legend of the demonic pact related to the construction of the Arena.

To explain how it was possible to realize it, numerous legends were born. The most famous one is that of the pact with the devil. It tells of a man in prison the night before his death sentence for a bloody crime. In order to save himself, the condemned man is willing to make a pact with the devil. The devil appears to him and suggests a plan. The man asks to speak with the governor of the city.

In exchange for a pardon, in one night only, he will build the largest and most magnificent building in the city where the people of Verona will be able to attend games and shows. Incredulous, the governor accepts and as soon as night falls, all the devils of hell are put to work to build a giant amphitheater. As the hours go by, the man realizes how senseless is the agreement he has made with the devil.

In order to have a few more years of life he has condemned his immortal soul to eternity. He then turns to the Virgin Mary, begging her to dissolve the wicked agreement. Our Lady listens to his repentance and anticipates the sunrise by a few hours. The rooster crows and the workers begin to leave their homes to go to the fields and stores. The devils who had calculated the time of work to complete the work undisturbed hidden by the darkness of the night must vanish leaving the amphitheater unfinished.

The presence of the wing of the Arena was thus explained. The Arena is the most important monument in Verona. Even just a quick explanation from the outside is always included in all our guided tours. The monument is open to the public closed Monday morning for a fee.

Visits more focused on the Roman era can include a visit to the interior. We can also organize more specific visits inside the amphitheater with workshops and educational activities for students of all levels. What secrets can a building collect in 2, years? Gladiators, queens, thieves, soldiers, prostitutes and priests — at one time or another the solemn arched Arena held them all. Love Verona or just dream about going? Share your story, tips and suggestions in the comments or on my Facebook page!

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