Description
Catania's Roman Amphitheater is the largest in Sicily: its arches of black lava stone and red brick surface in Piazza Stesicoro, right in the center, below the level of the square. What you see is about a tenth of the monument; the rest is still buried under the houses.
It was probably built in the 2nd century, between the reigns of Hadrian and Antoninus Pius, on the northern edge of the ancient city, and perhaps enlarged in the following century. It belonged to the same family of great buildings as the Colosseum and the Verona Arena.
The arena measured about 70 by 50 meters, the whole building 125 by 105 meters. It could seat 15,000 spectators, and almost twice as many with wooden scaffolding added for standing room.
From the square you can see the arches of the outer gallery and, toward the arena, a stretch of the cavea separated from the podium, which was once faced with marble. What strikes you is the contrast between the very dark lava stone of the walls and the red brick of the arches.
At the entrance, the iron gate is framed by marble columns and Ionic capitals found in the excavations, with an architrave bearing the inscription AMPHITHEATRVM INSIGNE. On either side, two plaques recall the Greeks Charondas and Stesichorus, who according to tradition are buried nearby.
Below opens the inner corridor of the lower order, freed by excavations in the early 20th century. From Vico Anfiteatro you can see the height of the building up to part of the third story.
For centuries the amphitheater was a quarry. In the 5th century the Ostrogothic king Theodoric allowed the people of Catania to take its stones; according to some, a few of the cathedral's columns also come from here.
In the 18th century it was so deeply buried that some foreign visitors denied it existed. To prove them wrong, the Prince of Biscari paid for excavations out of his own pocket and in two years brought to light an entire corridor and four great arches.
The underground galleries have fed all kinds of legends, such as the one about a school group that went in for a visit and never came out. In 1943, during the bombings, they served as an air-raid shelter.
Don't miss
• The arches of lava stone and brick.
• The entrance with the inscription AMPHITHEATRVM INSIGNE.
• The inner corridor.
• The view from Vico Anfiteatro.
Did you know?
• A legend has it that the lava of 252 stopped in front of the amphitheater thanks to Saint Agatha's veil: studies have shown that it never reached the city.
• As early as the 16th century, the historian Tommaso Fazello considered it second in size only to the Colosseum.
It was probably built in the 2nd century, between the reigns of Hadrian and Antoninus Pius, on the northern edge of the ancient city, and perhaps enlarged in the following century. It belonged to the same family of great buildings as the Colosseum and the Verona Arena.
The arena measured about 70 by 50 meters, the whole building 125 by 105 meters. It could seat 15,000 spectators, and almost twice as many with wooden scaffolding added for standing room.
From the square you can see the arches of the outer gallery and, toward the arena, a stretch of the cavea separated from the podium, which was once faced with marble. What strikes you is the contrast between the very dark lava stone of the walls and the red brick of the arches.
At the entrance, the iron gate is framed by marble columns and Ionic capitals found in the excavations, with an architrave bearing the inscription AMPHITHEATRVM INSIGNE. On either side, two plaques recall the Greeks Charondas and Stesichorus, who according to tradition are buried nearby.
Below opens the inner corridor of the lower order, freed by excavations in the early 20th century. From Vico Anfiteatro you can see the height of the building up to part of the third story.
For centuries the amphitheater was a quarry. In the 5th century the Ostrogothic king Theodoric allowed the people of Catania to take its stones; according to some, a few of the cathedral's columns also come from here.
In the 18th century it was so deeply buried that some foreign visitors denied it existed. To prove them wrong, the Prince of Biscari paid for excavations out of his own pocket and in two years brought to light an entire corridor and four great arches.
The underground galleries have fed all kinds of legends, such as the one about a school group that went in for a visit and never came out. In 1943, during the bombings, they served as an air-raid shelter.
Don't miss
• The arches of lava stone and brick.
• The entrance with the inscription AMPHITHEATRVM INSIGNE.
• The inner corridor.
• The view from Vico Anfiteatro.
Did you know?
• A legend has it that the lava of 252 stopped in front of the amphitheater thanks to Saint Agatha's veil: studies have shown that it never reached the city.
• As early as the 16th century, the historian Tommaso Fazello considered it second in size only to the Colosseum.