Page 199 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Venice & The Veneto

VERONA  197

The Arena VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

Verona’s amphitheatre, completed around AD 30, is the Practical Information
third largest in the world, after Rome’s Colosseum and the Piazza Brà. Tel 045 800 51 51
amphitheatre at Capua, near Naples. Originally, the Arena (concerts). ∑ arena.it
Open 8:30am–7:30pm daily (from
could hold almost the entire population of Roman Verona, 1:30pm Mon; last adm 6:30pm).
and visitors came from across the Veneto to watch mock battles Closes earlier on performance
and gladiatorial combats. Since then, the Arena has been days. Closed 1 Jan, 25 Dec. &
7 partial. Operas & concerts
used for public executions, fairs, theatre performances, (see pp260–61).
bullfighting and opera.
Interior
The interior has
survived virtually
intact, maintained
by the Arena
Conservators
since 1580.
The façade of the Arena seen from Piazza Brà
The elliptical amphitheatre is 139 m Gladiators and wild
(456 ft) long and 110 m (361 ft) wide.
beasts entered the
arena from both sides.

Stone seats
in 44 tiers

Below ground were cages for
lions, tigers and other wild beasts,
and a maze of passages.

Blood Sports
Prisoners of war, criminals
and Christians died in Opera in the Arena
their thousands in Today, performances of Verdi’s Aida and
the name of other popular operas can attract a capacity
entertainment. crowd of 25,000.

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