The amphitheatre is located at the centre of Catania, Sicily in the Stesicoro Square and it is surrounded by city traffic, the Church of San Biagio and the black and white baroque Palazzo Tezzano. The statue of Italian opera composer Vincenzo Bellini called ‘the swan of Catania’ for the long lyrics lines of his music, looks at the amphitheatre from the other half of Stesicoro Square, which is cut in two by the most important street of Catania, Via Etnea, that crosses the city for about 3 km and reaches in the end the close Piazza del Duomo.
History of the amphitheatre
Through a monumental portal made of marble columns supporting what remains of an architrave that still reads AMPHITHEATRUM INSIGNE, you can visit the ruins of one of the greatest Roman amphitheatres built in the 2nd century AD close to Montevergine Hill. Today, what is left of that magnificent architecture is only a tenth of the original building. It is thought that it could hold about 15,000 seated spectators and almost the same number of standing viewers allocated on wooden temporary scaffoldings. Some think that ‘naumachias’ (true naval battles staged by filling the theatre with water coming from an ancient aqueduct) were also performed in the amphitheatre. The size of the amphitheatre makes it unique and the peculiar colour contrast of materials - still partially visible - makes the fluid contrast between black lava stones, red bricks and white marble a rare and fascinating mixture of patterns.
Looking at Catania through holes
The descent to the amphitheatre, which is located in a much lower position than the current street level, leads the visitor not only to a place temporally changed but also to a different spatial position compared to the present city. It is like observing Catania from the bottom up rather than the opposite, as instead often happens in modern cities. Exploring the tunnels, fragments of vaults and trimmed arches, you cannot help but turn your head up and see the surrounding houses, balconies, mouldings, statues of churches framed by the irregular openings that the amphitheatre shows to the keenest observers in order to disclose the beauty of Catania to them.
Present and Past
From the bottom of the city’s past, the amphitheatre of Catania does no longer put on stage gladiator fights as it once did, but rather introduces the city to those that don’t know it, helping in the discovery of a present that is the result of a past - even though we sometimes forget it! The chaotic traffic of Catania surrounds the theatre with noise and this piece of history continues to survive through the centuries despite seeing tumultuous years. It has suffered through WWI when the tunnels of the amphitheatre were used as sewers - and has been totally ignored for too long. Recently, the ruins have made their voices heard and are just waiting to be admired again!
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When to visit the amphitheatre
The amphitheatre is open every day from 9 am until 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm until 5 pm except on Mondays. Admission is free.
History
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