Imagine yourself standing in front of a Roman amphitheater. What’s the first image that comes to your mind? For me, and probably most other people, it will be that of the Colosseum in Rome. But the Colosseum isn’t the only amphitheater that was built during the Roman Empire. In fact, the Romans built over 200 of them. Some of these theaters are well-preserved and can still be visited today. One of them is the Arena in Verona.

As a former architecture student, I always find it amazing when a structure still stands after 2000 years. It also makes me wonder what happened between now and then. So, while I was staying in Verona, I decided to visit the Arena and dig deeper into its history.

My conclusion: The Arena cannot be missed on your itinerary if you’re interested in both history and opera!

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History of the Arena

The Arena is the undisputed symbol of Verona. It sits in Piazza Bra, dominating the historic center of the city. Back in Roman times, however, during the first century AD, it was built outside the city. Years later, when more defense walls were built to protect the city, the Arena was included inside Verona’s walls.

Originally the Arena was composed of three tiers of arches reaching a height of 30 meters. This made it the third-largest Roman amphitheater (after the Colosseum and Capua). Today only two tiers survive. A major earthquake in 1117 almost completely destroyed the structure’s outer ring, except for a small portion where four arches survive. This part is often referred to as the ‘ala’ of the Arena, meaning its ‘wing’.

The name Arena comes from the meaning of the word ‘arena’ in Latin. The word means ‘sand’ and it refers to the sand that covered the floor of the ring to absorb the blood spilled during blood sports that took place. These included hunting wild animals from faraway places in the empire and gladiator battles.

Fall of the Empire

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Arena stood empty for centuries. The unused Arena stood as a free source of building materials and was pillaged. The bricks were much needed for the construction of other structures needed for the city’s growth.

At the beginning of the 15th century, the Venetians came to power in Verona. Under the Venetians, new laws were passed, making it illegal to vandalize the Arena. During this century, the Arena provided affordable housing for prostitutes. In the 16th century, the prostitutes were forced out and made way for small shops. The Arena became Verona’s first shopping center.

Opera Festival

The Arena is still in use today. The shops are long gone and the Arena now hosts different cultural events. The largest event is the yearly Opera Festival from June to August. Due to the acoustics and atmosphere of the Arena, it is thought to be one of the best places in the world to watch an opera. I have to agree on this!

During my last stay in Verona, I went to see Verdi’s Nabucco and La Traviata inside the Arena. We were given small candles upon entering. According to the little paper that came with it, there was no electricity in the Arena when the first performance of Aida took place back in 1913. Spectators brought thousands of candles with them “to illuminate the scenery and read the programs”. This became a tradition and nowadays people sitting on the steps are provided with a candle. Shortly before the performance begins, we were all asked to light them. This added to the magical ambiance even more! What an experience!

Practical information

Going to the opera in Italy