The home to some of the greatest shows on Earth, Rome’s Colosseum had a capacity of 50,000 making it the largest built by the Romans. Where gladiators would have battled and public shows would be held, this amazing monument is captured beautifully by Dmitriy Moiseyev in this photograph. Taken at dusk, the interior lights can be seen glowing from within the structure, emanating a glow about this ancient relic.
Rome’s Colosseum differs from many of the Greek amphitheatres preceding it, as it is a freestanding structure as opposed to being built into a hillside. With such a high capacity, the Roman architects also took into account the need for quick evacuations, similar to building standards set out in today’s stadiums. There are 80 entrance/exits in the Colosseum, of which 76 would have been used by spectators. The layout was arranged so all visitors would be able to access their allotted seats quickly, and be able to leave the stadium within minutes in case of emergency.
Centuries of wear and damage from fires, earthquakes and stone robbers have left the Colosseum in partial ruin, but it remains nonetheless one of the iconic examples of Roman architecture today.
You can find out more about the Colosseum here on Heritage Key, and be sure to take a look through Dmitriy Moiseyev Flickr photostream!