Arena di Verona
Arena di Verona is a Roman amphitheater in Verona, Italy, and was erected around 30 AD. It is located in the city’s main square, Piazza Bra.
History
The giant oval of the amphitheater was erected in the 1st century B.C. Forty-four rows seated up to 22,000 spectators, and the amphitheater ranked third among similar structures designed for gladiatorial and animal fights, second only to the Roman Colosseum and the Arena in Capua. The two-story galleries were originally surrounded by a wider, three-story outer wall of red Verona marble, but today only the four arcades on the north side remain. These were partially destroyed by earthquakes in the 12th and 13th centuries, but for the most part the amphitheater was used as a quarry. During the Venetian era, the first floor arches were inhabited by artisans and prostitutes.
.Arena di Verona today
Today, the Arena di Verona is a world-famous concert venue, hosting various concerts and opera productions. It is the largest opera venue in the world, hosting up to 600,000 spectators a year. Seats on the stone steps of the Arena di Verona are noticeably cheaper than the specially installed seats at the bottom. After sunset, candles are lit. The capacity of the Afmitiatheater for opera performances was until recently 20,000 guests, but this has been reduced to 15,000 for security reasons.
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