Roman Amphitheatre, Lecce, Italy

The Roman amphitheatre of Lecce dates back to the second century AD and the time of Emperor Hadrian's rule. Featuring an elliptical layout, it's partly buried and partly supported by arcades resting on tuff columns. The amphitheatre of ancient Lupiae lies on what once were the eastern outskirts of the Roman city of Augustan Age, and was capable of seating a max. of 14.000 spectators, arranged in two tiers of seats, of which only the lower one still remains.

Particularly interesting are the fragments of friezes unearthed during excavations and the Latin inscriptions, which are to be found in the gallery dug into the rocks surrounding the arena.

Recommended to the visitor, are the groups of historiated capitals and some bas-reliefs depicting scenes of venationes. In the nearby of the amphitheatre, today an elegant culture venue hosting shows and concerts, there's a pre-Roman necropolis, where Messapian inscriptions have been found.

References:

viaggiareinpuglia.it

User Reviews

Michael Mallahan (12 months ago)
Not to miss. Great evening stroll destination.

Nick Pribus (12 months ago)
Not big, but intersting it has been preserved in the center. I walked around and enjoyed the scene, but there were no visible information signs, only a small gate with a sign that it is temporarily closed for renovation. The sign does say guided tours avalable, but no indication of a price, or a ticket office. No real need to go inside, everything is visible from the outside, would be nice to have the history or background posted.

Omer Farooq (15 months ago)
2nd century roman amphitheatre surrounded by beautiful piazas, monuments and museums of a pretty baroque southern Italian city of Lecce.

Lipsticks and Backpacks (15 months ago)
Gorgeous! You can see it as you walk by the shops. Half of it is still buried by the street - so cool!

Suraj Naskar (17 months ago)
Almost 2000 years old Amphitheater in Lecce. One of the remarkable landmark. One should definitely come here in the day as well as in night time to see the vibe.

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