Verona Arena

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Verona Arena

The Verona Arena ( Italian Arena di Verona ) is a well-preserved Roman amphitheater in the Italian city ​​of Verona .

description

Originally, the arena was 152 meters by 113 meters. What remains are 138 meters × 109 meters, with a height of exactly 24.1 meters. This means that the arena in Verona is still - after the Colosseum in Rome and the Arena in Capua - the third largest of the preserved ancient amphitheaters. The 45 tiers of the auditorium are each around 45 centimeters high and deep and offer space for 22,000 spectators.

and display information about the image
Interior of the arena

history

Verona Arena by night

The theater was built around 30 AD and was then outside the Roman city ​​wall of Verona. In Roman times, the arena held over 30,000 spectators and was used for gladiatorial fights and competitions. The facade was clad in white and pink limestone . After an earthquake in 1117 that destroyed most of the outer ring, the arena served as a quarry for the growing medieval city. Only four arches of the outer ring that once completely encompassed the arena remain. They are called "l'ala" - the wing - by the Veronese people. In 1278 the arena was the scene of the last great Cathar execution: after the success of the Inquisition in southern France in the 1250s in its fight against the Cathars, the survivors withdrew to northern Italy. They were able to keep the Sirmione fortress as a final refuge. However, in 1276 the castle was captured and the Cathars who survived the conquest were burned in the Arena of Verona in 1278.

In the Renaissance there were efforts to use the building as a theater again. But this has only happened regularly since 1913. On August 10, 1913, on the occasion of Giuseppe Verdi's 100th birthday, the opera Aida was performed. Thanks to the excellent acoustics , the arena quickly established itself as a concert venue. Opera performances and rock concerts take place especially in June, July and August.

gallery

  • facade

  • The wing of the arena

  • inner space

  • Inner corridor

  • Opera performance in the arena in summer 2006

Web links

Commons : Verona Arena  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 45 ° 26 ′ 20 ″  N , 10 ° 59 ′ 40 ″  E