From gladiator fights in Roman times to opera concerts nowadays: This is the Verona Arena
The Roman amphitheater in Verona has been used as a venue for various different spectacles throughout the ages for almost 2,000 years.
The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympic Games is coming to a close on Sunday 22 February. As part of a new trend in the international sporting competition, the hosts are making use of the existing infrastructure.
This year’s host has one about a hundred miles east of Milan that has been a venue for various different spectacles throughout the ages for almost 2,000 years, the Verona Arena. It is the third largest Roman amphitheater still standing and has a storied history that will now add the this Winter Olympic Games closing ceremonies to it list.
The 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater still hosting spectacles
Built in the first century A.D., the Verona Arena originally hosted bloody gladiator fights for crowds of up to 30,000 people. While many may have ridiculed the ‘Gladiator II’ movie for the scene in which the Coliseum was flooded, that really did take place once in the Verona Arena to reenact famous Greek naval battles.
A devastating earthquake in 1117, however, nearly completely destroyed its upper balconies, only four arches still remain intact. Further damage was caused to the building as its easily accessible stones were ransacked for building material for other structures leaving the structure in a state of disrepair.
Fortunately, that practice was forbidden and restoration work on the ancient venue was begun in the 1500s. Following these repairs, it began to be a venue for theatrical performances.
In the 18th Century it was also used for Bull hunting events, which were viewed on a couple of occasions by Napoleon Bonaparte. It even hosted at one time ‘Buffalo Bill’s Wild West’ show.
Since 1913 it has been home to the Arena di Verona Opera Festival, an annual event held in the summer that attracts thousands of spectators from all over the world to the largest opera stage in the world. Throughout the rest of the year, concerts and other spectacles are also held within the Verona Arena.
The Roman amphitheater can now seat about 10,000 spectators but for the festival, the seating arrangement allows for up to 17,000.
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