New Seven Wonders of the World
The Colosseum, formally the Flavian Amphitheatre, was begun under Emperor Vespasian around 70–72 CE and inaugurated by his son Titus in 80 CE, with later additions under Domitian. Built of travertine, tuff, brick and concrete on the site of a drained lake in Nero’s former palace grounds, it was a statement that the emperor returned land to the people. Its elliptical form, about 189 metres long and 156 wide, held tens of thousands of spectators in seating arranged by rank, and a system of arched entrances and stairways moved crowds with surprising efficiency. Below the arena floor, a maze of tunnels and lifts, the hypogeum, hoisted animals and scenery into view. The programme included gladiator fights, animal hunts and public executions, and also ceremonial events that cemented loyalty to Rome. Earthquakes, fires and centuries of stone robbing stripped the outer ring on one side, while the surviving arches have become the symbol of the city. The Colosseum stands within the Historic Centre of Rome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, beside the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, which are included in the same archaeological park. Visitors walk stairways and galleries, look across a partly reconstructed arena floor and peer into the underground passages on special tickets. It is crowded, so timed entry, early or late slots and patience matter more than any other planning step.
How to visit
Partly standing ruin. A large part of the outer wall and inner structure survives; the arena floor is partly reconstructed.
- Gateway
- Rome (FCO / CIA). Metro Line B stops at Colosseo station beside the monument.
- Getting there
- Metro Line B to Colosseo; Rome’s airports connect by train and bus. The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine form one archaeological park.
- Access and booking
- Entry to the Colosseum needs a reserved time slot. Tickets are sold on the park’s official ticketing site and open roughly 30 days ahead; underground, arena and attic experiences have their own tickets and conditions.
- Season and conditions
- Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer is hot and crowded. Winter has shorter hours and fewer queues.
- Guides, permits and reservations
- Everyone, including children, needs a timed slot. Arrive 15 minutes before your slot, or 30 minutes for underground and arena tickets.
- Accessibility and physical demands
- Lifts serve some levels; the park publishes accessibility guidance. Details pending verification.
- What you can realistically visit today
- You can visit the first and second tiers, the arena viewing areas, exhibitions, the Forum and Palatine, and with separate tickets the underground and arena floor.
Checked against official sources
- The official park website states that tickets, with compulsory reservation of the entry time slot to the Colosseum, are sold on ticketing.colosseo.it and open 30 days before the visit; the standard ticket allows a 75-minute stay. — Parco archeologico del Colosseo
- Opening hours for 1–24 October 2026 were listed as 8.30–18.30, and from 25 October the last admission moves earlier. — Parco archeologico del Colosseo
Reviewed 2026-10-23. Official details change; confirm on the official page before you travel.
Pending verification
SATRAM has not verified the following; please check an official source:
- Whether tickets are also sold at the ticket office on the day (official pages differed).
- Current ticket prices.
Official and useful links
Sources
Description and visit notes were written by SATRAM from these references. “Opened” means a page was read during the review; “cited” means it is listed as a standard reference and its address has not been machine-checked. Last reviewed .
- New7Wonders of the World — official wonders page — New7Wonders Foundation · opened
- Historic Centre of Rome — UNESCO World Heritage List — UNESCO World Heritage Centre · cited
- Opening times and tickets — Parco archeologico del Colosseo — Parco archeologico del Colosseo · opened