For archaeology buffs

The area around the Colosseum and the Roman Forum is crammed with archaeological sights, and the visitor is cheek-by-jowl with reminders of the Emperors and ancient Rome.

The area around the Colosseum and the Roman Forum is crammed with archaeological sights, and the visitor is cheek-by-jowl with reminders of the Emperors and ancient Rome. The area is conveniently placed for public transport, with a Metro station right opposite the Colosseum, and is only a short distance from Stazione Termini.
It's possible to walk into the Centro Storico or the shopping area of Via del Corso; there are also plenty of buses. Note that the main road past the Colosseum and Forum is pedestrianised on Sundays.
The Colosseum is located at the foot of Mussolini's Via dei Fori Imperiali; from Piazza Venezia head past the Roman Forum. What we have to say! you are walking in the story!Colosseo Metro station (Linea B) is right opposite. The Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum are next to the Colosseum, as is the Arch of Constantine, cobbled together from earlier monuments. The Circus Maximus is a short walk away; the Baths of Caracalla are a little further. The Colosseum was built in bricks and clad of travertine in a valley among the Palatino, Esquilino and Celio hills after having dried a small lake that Nerone was using for the Domus Aurea.
The edifice of four floors, with a total height of 48.50 metres and an extension covering and elliptical area of about 19000 square metres, measures at the main axis 188m and at the minor one 156m. The first floor is 10.50m high with semi-pillars in Doric style, the second floors, higher of about two metres is made of ionic pillars, the third floor is 11.60m high ahs has Corinthian pillars while the fourth one is in bricks with small square windows. At this level we also find the necessary holes to sustain the beams of the velar that, in antiquity, was used to protect the spectators from the burning sun.
The Colosseum of Rome is made of sectors to which one could access thanks to stairs and galleries where one could find, during the games, vendors of chick peas, drinks and cushions. Among the places reserved to the senators and to the members of the Court, was built on the order of August the platform of the Imperator (called "pulvinar"). To the Imperator, in fact, was probably reserved the access through the underground corridor known as passage of the Commodo, for the fact that, in a piece of the "Roman History" of Dione Cassio, it is explained how the Imperator Commodo would have sustained a murder attempt proper in what was set out as "a dark corner" of the Colosseum. The elliptical arena of the Flavio Amphitheatre, which measures along the axis about 77m for 46, was formed by wooden board flooring covered of sand. To access to it there were two entrances: at west the "Triumphalis Door", through which were coming in the gladiators or the animals, and at east the "Libitinensis Door", through which were taken away the bodies without life of the fighters (from Labitinia Goddess of the death).
Under the arena of the Colosseum there were numerous corridors and rooms aimed at welcoming the gladiators and the ferocious beasts that could be brought at the centre of the arena thanks to elevator carriages and access ramps. Along the edges of the paved arena there was an arcade with two orders from which we have the remains while around the amphitheatre there was a paving with marks in marble on which was anchored the velarium.
Outside of the edifice we can note the inscriptions remembering the consolidation works of the amphitheatre and above all the prohibition of Benedetto XIV, Pope from 1675 to 1758 after Christ, to proceed to ulterior spoliations of the monument.
Restaurants:

F.I.S.H
via dei Serpenti 16 Tel: 39 06 47824962 www.f-i-s-h.it Colosseum Closed Mondays F.I.S.H is a modern seafood restaurant with fabulous sushi, and fusion cuisine, excellent wine list in a beautiful atmosphere.

Maharajah
via dei Serpenti 124 Tel: 39 06 4747144 maharajah.it Colosseum Authentic Indian restaurant, friendly atmosphere, good quality menu and impeccably clean.