The Roman Colosseum is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. Its imposing facade has stood proudly for thousands of years. Despite its weathered and worn appearance the stones of the building holds the true heart of Rome’s ancient past.
The origins of the Colosseum date back to 72AD when construction on the grand stadium begun. Over the next 8 years, construction would continue on the Colosseum until it was finally finished. The Roman Colosseum was then opened to the public, purpose-built for the people of Rome. It acted as a stage for public executions, hunting spectacles and of course epic battles between gladiators.
Blood was shed often within the confines of the Roman Colosseum. Though an accurate representation of just how many deaths were experienced within the Colosseum is not known, many speculate that the number may range between 500 thousand and one million human deaths, as well as many thousands of animals. Understanding the dark side of the Colosseum’s history makes it easy to see why many people consider it to be one of the most haunted structures in the entire world.
The towering 2,000-year-old stone amphitheater, the biggest in the Roman empire, is Italy’s most popular tourist attraction, drawing 7.6 million visitors in 2019.
Most haunted in Rome
Countless staff, visitors and passers-by have reported having paranormal experiences at the Roman Colosseum. Apparition sightings are said to be very common. One of the most frequently seen apparitions is that of a Roman soldier. This lone guard is usually seen at night when the landmark has been closed to the public, still protecting the Colosseum. Others have even reported sighting the grouped apparitions of a full crowd in the stadium’s bleachers seeming to cheer on a long past spectacle before suddenly vanishing.
Though many have seen ghosts within the Colosseum, far more people have allegedly heard them. A lot of people have claimed to hear noises of pain echoing through the empty stone walls of the Colosseum. These have been described as moans and screams and are believed to be from past prisoners or gladiators meeting their fate. In addition to these human sounds of anguish, there have also been many people who have reported hearing the sounds of animals in pain, believed to be leftover energy from the many creatures slain for sport within the Colosseum.
There are also stories of suddenly dropping temperatures, light anomalies and orbs being present within the Colosseum. With such prevalent ghost stories surrounding the Colosseum, many regard it to be one of the most haunted places in Rome.
Messalina was the daughter of a Roman duke who was forced to marry at the age of 14 to a 40-year-old man. Her being very beautiful and him being a stutterer and so good-looking. She betrayed him many times. He killed her by stubbing her heart.
A legend tells Messalina’s ghost wanders without peace near the Colosseum, looking for a new love adventure. There are those who also swear they heard this ghost non-stop complaining.
Facts
The Colosseum could seat between 50,000 and 80,000 people.
It was built by up to 100,000 slaves, captured by Rome in its many wars.
The hypogeum, or Colosseum underground, was an elaborate network of tunnels and chambers were gladiators, animals, and prisoners were kept before entering the arena. There were 80 vertical shafts to access the arena from the hypogeum, as well as an extensive network of trap doors through which scenery elements could be deployed during the spectacles.
Many species of animals were used in the Colosseum. Some in staged hunts, in which armed and trained humans would bring them down, others as “executioners” of people condemned to die in the arena. Lions, tigers, wolves, bears, leopards, wild boar, elephants, hyena, buffalo, hippopotamus, crocodile, and giraffe were all seen in the Colosseum at some point.
Gladiators were a member of the infame class, and upon becoming gladiators (whether by choice or as punishment for a crime) they were stripped of all their rights and became property of their owners, their lives forfeit.
The Colosseum has experienced large fires at least three times throughout its history, and suffered from at least 4 earthquakes. These events seriously damaged the building and it has been repaired and rebuilt many times over the two millennia it has existed.
Visiting the Roman Colosseum
The Roman Colosseum is open to the public year-round and is a very busy tourist destination. Tickets can be purchased online, at the venue and can even be pre-booked to enter the Colosseum at night for a tour of the entire premises including its underground chambers.
The Colosseum receives over 4 million visitors every year. The Colosseum is the most popular attraction in Italy and one of the most popular in the world.