Church, mosque or temple · UNESCO
Pantheon
Rome, Italy
A nearly two-thousand-year-old temple with a perfect concrete dome and a circular opening to the sky.
Historic site · Italy · Lazio
Colosseum
The vast Roman amphitheatre that has become the symbol of the Eternal City.
UNESCO World Heritage Paid entry about 2 h
For storytellers
Why Colosseum matters
Stand outside and look at those stacked arches: this was the stadium of ancient Rome, built to seat tens of thousands for gladiator fights and public spectacles. Inside, you can see the underground passages where animals and fighters waited. It has been damaged by earthquakes and stone-robbers, yet it still dominates the skyline.
Talking points
- Built in the first century AD, it could hold crowds of tens of thousands.
- The underground passages once hid animals, machinery and fighters.
- Much of its stone was reused to build other Roman palaces and churches.
- One ticket is usually combined with the Forum and Palatine Hill.
Free to read aloud or adapt in your video. Check facts that matter to you against an official source before you publish.
Good to know: Book timed tickets online well ahead; queues at the gate can be long.
More in Rome
Ruins · UNESCO
Roman Forum
Rome, Italy
The ruined heart of ancient Rome: temples, arches and the old political centre.
Museum
Borghese Gallery and Museum
Rome, Italy
An intimate villa museum with Bernini sculptures and Caravaggio paintings.
Square
Piazza Navona
Rome, Italy
A lively baroque square built on the shape of an ancient Roman stadium.
Monument
Spanish Steps
Rome, Italy
A sweeping stairway climbing to the Trinita dei Monti church, and a classic Roman meeting spot.
Also nearby
Within about 40 km, closest first.