Verona Amphitheatre, Verona, Italy

The Verona Arena is a Roman amphitheatre built in 1st century. It is still in use today and is internationally famous for the large-scale opera performances given there. It is one of the best preserved ancient structures of its kind. In ancient times, nearly 30,000 people was the housing capacity of the Arena.

The building itself was built in AD 30 on a site which was then beyond the city walls. The round façade of the building was originally composed of white and pink limestone from Valpolicella, but after a major earthquake in 1117, which almost completely destroyed the structure's outer ring, except for the so-called 'ala', the stone was quarried for re-use in other buildings. Nevertheless it impressed medieval visitors to the city, one of whom considered it to have been a labyrinth, without ingress or egress.

The first interventions to recover the arena's function as a theatre began during the Renaissance. Some operatic performances were later mounted in the building during the 1850s, owing to its outstanding acoustics. In 1913, operatic performances in the arena commenced in earnest due to the zeal and initiative of the Italian opera tenor Giovanni Zenatello and the impresario Ottone Rovato.

In recent times, the arena has also hosted several concerts of international rock and pop bands.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

A D (4 months ago)
Amazing age and history. But not much to see. It's a large Colosseum just like you see in History shows. But no other things like chariots or gladiator stuff. Just the giant circle of stone and the amphitheater itself. Still kinda cool!

Jip Hekerman (5 months ago)
Beautiful arena in the center of the city. I would tell you its a must see, but if you are visiting Verona you will see it anyways since it is in the middle of the city center. The line to go inside was long (we waited about 45 minutes) , the price for what you get is quite high. It is nice to see but if you are short on money I would suggest to admire its beauty from the outside.

Katharina M (6 months ago)
We very much liked it. The flair of the old arena is incomparable and very much suited for Italian operas. Apparently, you used to be able to picnic. This is not possible anymore. 1 bottle of water with max 500ml capacity is the maximum. Unfortunately the points of sale in the arena are scarce and very long cues happen during the breaks. Security staff is very, very friendly and looks after the belongings you could not bring in with eagle eyes. Thank you!

Julio Iglesias (6 months ago)
DO NOT TRAVEL ONLY FOR A PLAY. The place is incredible; you only need to see the pictures and the acoustic is fantastic. Just be aware this is an open theater so if it there some rain, it does not matter how little, the show will stop! That will wait up to 2hrs to continue, but if the rain does not stop the play will be cancelled. This place should be in your check list if you are staying for at least a couples of days so you can enjoy something else if the show got cancelled.

Ishan (2 years ago)
This is one of the best conserved Roman amphitheatres, whose seating area is made up of 44 levels and can hold up to 22,000 spectators. It is still in use today and is internationally famous for the large-scale opera performance. You will feel at first that you are standing in front of Colosseum. Extremely beautiful. Went here few years back and hope to visit the place once again in near future.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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Historic Site of the week

Lorca Castle

Castle of Lorca (Castillo de Lorca) is a fortress of medieval origin constructed between the 9th and 15th centuries. It consists of a series of defensive structures that, during the Middle Ages, made the town and the fortress an impregnable point in the southeast part of the Iberian Peninsula. Lorca Castle was a key strategic point of contention between Christians and Muslims during the Reconquista.

Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site of the castle has been inhabited since Neolithic times.

Muslim Era

It has not been determined exactly when a castle or fortress was first built on the hill. The first written documentation referring to a castle at Lorca is of Muslim origin, which in the 9th century, indicates that the city of Lurqa was an important town in the area ruled by Theudimer (Tudmir). During Muslim rule, Lorca Castle was an impregnable fortress and its interior was divided into two sections by the Espaldón Wall. In the western part, there was an area used to protect livestock and grain in times of danger. The eastern part had a neighbourhood called the barrio de Alcalá.

After Reconquista

Lorca was conquered by the Castilian Infante Don Alfonso, the future Alfonso X, in 1244, and the fortress became a key defensive point against the Kingdom of Granada. For 250 years, Lorca Castle was a watchpoint on the border between the Christian kingdom of Murcia and the Muslim state of Granada.

Alfonso X ordered the construction of the towers known as the Alfonsina and Espolón Towers, and strengthened and fixed the walls. Hardly a trace of the Muslim fortress remained due to this reconstruction. Muslim traces remain in the foundation stones and the wall known as the muro del Espaldón.

The Jewish Quarter was found within the alcazaba, the Moorish fortification, separated from the rest of the city by its walls. The physical separation had the purpose of protecting the Jewish people in the town from harm, but also had the result of keeping Christians and Jews separate, with the Christians inhabiting the lower part of town.

The remains of the Jewish Quarter extended over an area of 5,700 square m, and 12 homes and a synagogue have been found; the synagogue dates from the 14th century and is the only one found in the Murcia. The streets of the town had an irregular layout, adapted to the landscape, and is divided into four terraces. The synagogue was in the central location, and around it were the homes. The homes were of rectangular shape, with various compartmentalized rooms. The living quarters were elevated and a common feature was benches attached to the walls, kitchens, stand for earthenware jars, or cupboards.

Modern history

With the disappearance of the frontier after the conquest of Granada in 1492, Lorca Castle no longer became as important as before. With the expulsion of the Jews by order of Ferdinand and Isabella, Lorca Castle was also depopulated as a result. The castle was abandoned completely, and was almost a complete ruin by the 18th century. In the 19th century, the castle was refurbished due to the War of Spanish Independence. The walls and structures were repaired or modified and its medieval look changed. A battery of cannons was installed, for example, during this time. In 1931 Lorca Castle was declared a National Historic Monument.

Currently, a parador (luxury hotel) has been built within the castle. As a result, archaeological discoveries have been found, including the Jewish Quarter.

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