Roman Amphitheatre, Trieste, Italy

The Teatro Romano in Trieste was built in the first century BC and expanded in the second century AD. It had seats for from 3,500 to 6,000 visitors. It was probably built by the Trieste Quinto Petronio Modesto , prosecutor Emperor Trajan.

Over the centuries, the theater was left under the houses that were built above. Considered lost, it was identified in 1814 and unearthed in 1938 during the demolition of this part of the old city. The statues and inscriptions found in the excavations are kept in the San Guisto Castle.

Nowadays Teatro Romano is still occasionally used for outdoor summer shows.

User Reviews

Richard T.Whybrow (5 months ago)
Impressive ancient Roman ruins that has been carefully wardened off and preserved. The ruins are right on the edge of the main street and can be easily accessed for good viewing.

Ja T (7 months ago)
Very nice, but competents should try harder to keep it nicely maintained.

Felix Jacobsen (8 months ago)
Not a place that you can spend ages at but it is no less a great visit. Closely situated to the city castle. Structure itself is beautiful and interesting for all age groups.

Tom Ford (12 months ago)
Thought it was going to be more impressive. On side of road. Shame you can’t get inside to walk round it. Worth a look if you’re passing by but not worth going out of your way for.

Russell Parry (2 years ago)
Beautiful structure, amazingly well preserved. You can pay to go inside, but you can also walk completely around for free with a great view inside from the backside. There is even a coffee shop with tables that overlook the inside if you would like to savor the view. ☕️

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Photo from Flickr, copyright caminanteK

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Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians. The county became a privileged refuge for persecuted Cathars.

The castle, often besieged (notably by Simon de Montfort in 1211 and 1212), resisted assault and was only taken once, in 1486, thanks to treachery during the war between two branches of the Foix family.

From the 14th century, the Counts of Foix spent less and less time in the uncomfortable castle, preferring the Governors' Palace. From 1479, the Counts of Foix became Kings of Navarre and the last of them, made Henri IV of France, annexed his Pyrrenean lands to France.

As seat of the Governor of the Foix region from the 15th century, the castle continued to ensure the defence of the area, notably during the Wars of Religion. Alone of all the castles in the region, it was exempted from the destruction orders of Richelieu (1632-1638).

Until the Revolution, the fortress remained a garrison. Its life was brightened with grand receptions for its governors, including the Count of Tréville, captain of musketeers under Louis XIII and Marshal Philippe Henri de Ségur, one of Louis XVI's ministers. The Round Tower, built in the 15th century, is the most recent, the two square towers having been built before the 11th century. They served as a political and civil prison for four centuries until 1862.

Since 1930, the castle has housed the collections of the Ariège départemental museum. Sections on prehistory, Gallo-Roman and mediaeval archaeology tell the history of Ariège from ancient times. Currently, the museum is rearranging exhibits to concentrate on the history of the castle site so as to recreate the life of Foix at the time of the Counts.

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