A Comprehensive Guide to Colosseum Central Arena

The Colosseum, an iconic symbol of ancient Rome, offers visitors a deep journey into its storied past. 

The amphitheater’s Arena was the area where all the action happened, even as the Roman royals and their subjects watched in awe.

Here, gladiators once engaged in fierce battles against each other, as well as against wild animals and condemned criminals, entertaining crowds of up to 80,000 spectators. 

Sometimes, these shows featured fights between gladiators and wild animals like tigers, bears, elephants, hippos, and lions.

Situated at the center of the elliptical Colosseum, the Arena stands out as a must-see among its many significant features, surrounded by five seating tiers that enhance the thrilling atmosphere of the amphitheater.

Can you access the Colosseum Arena?

The Arena is an exclusive area within the Colosseum, accessible only through a guided tour. 

General entry tickets and self-guided individual tours do not include access to the Arena floor.

A special guided tour ticket, which costs slightly more than the standard entry ticket, allows you to enter the arena. 

For safety reasons, only 50 guests are allowed on the Arena floor at a time.

What happened to the Colosseum Arena?

The Arena was initially made of wood placed on the masonry and covered with sand. It was designed to soak up blood, vomit, or waste from men or animals. 

However, the stadium was last used in the mid-5th century, after which the games stopped. 

Over the last 1500 years or more, the wooden flooring wore off as the structure aged and withstood natural calamities, exposing the underground.

Underground was the backstage of the Colosseum’s area floor, and that’s where the gladiators and the wild animals waited for their turn to emerge from the trap drops. 

In recent times the floor has been partially reconstructed to let visitors experience its original form and the exposed underground. 

Is it worth going to the Arena?

Visiting the Arena is absolutely worth it! This historic site hosted brutal fights and is deeply etched in the history of the great Roman Empire. 

Special tickets grant you access to the Arena through the “Gate of Death,” allowing you to experience the path gladiators walked during their final moments. 

Standing in the center of this iconic structure is both educational and thrilling, providing a unique perspective of the exposed underground beneath and the surrounding seating tiers.

Arena tour highlights 

• Entry through Porta Libertina [Gate of death] 

• Port Triumphalis [Gate of life]  can be seen straight ahead

• The emperor’s seat

• Replicated trapdoor

• An altar placed in the Colosseum in the 18th century when it was used for religious purposes

• A Christian cross erected by Benito Mussolini in 1926 to inaugurate its renovation and to welcome Pope Pius XI

What can you do on the Arena floor

Walk through the Gladiator gate                                                

• Enter the Arena through the Gate of Death, retracing the steps of real gladiators who once made their final journey out of the Arena.

Explore the Arena Floor

• You can walk around the partially reconstructed Arena floor and see the exposed underground below. 
• Click pictures like a gladiator!
• Sit down and let the grandeur of the massive structure sink in

Wonder at the architecture from inside

• While the Colosseum’s exterior is majestic when you view it from within, you truly understand its massive scale.
• A bird’s eye view of the whole monument

Events and spectacles

The Colosseum was inaugurated between 70 and 72 CE, and by the 1600s, when it closed as many as 400,000 are known to have died entertaining on the Arena floor.

Some evidence suggests that the Arena was occasionally flooded to conduct mock sea battles.

Jungle settings were also created for live animal hunts, with real trees and plants arranged on the Arena floor. 

These natural elements often concealed the trapdoors from which the animals would suddenly emerge, adding an element of surprise and excitement to the battles.

Around the same time, Christianity took over the ancient stadium.

As a result,  a large wooden cross was erected at its center, and 15 tabernacles were set up to represent the Stations of the Cross. 

Numerous small chapels were also constructed within the ruins, with this religious transformation continuing until the 19th century.

Architecture and design

This elliptical center of the Colosseum measures 83 meters by 48 meters (272 feet by 157 feet / 280 by 163 Roman feet) and is encircled by tiers where the emperor and spectators sat to witness the happenings. 

The Arena was not just a stationary stage but a functioning platform with trapdoors and pulleys for a dash of dramatic effect.

The hydraulic mechanisms that made this possible were underground, covered by the wooden floor. Wild animals or other gladiators would emerge from underground through these trapdoors, commencing the fight. 

The gladiators would also enter the Arena through the gate of life on the east, which had direct access to it, and leave the place through the gate of death on the west if they were unfortunate. 

This centuries-old construction inspires all the modern stadiums of today.

A quick tip: If you are a first-time Arena visitor, remember to bring plenty of water and sunscreen and wear comfortable shoes for the extensive walking involved.

Leave your selfie sticks and big bags at home, as you are not allowed to carry them inside.

For families with children, booking the Arena tour with entry through the “Death Gate” is highly recommended.

Carry your ID for your security checks that are done before you step into the Colosseum

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