The Colosseum

When in Rome, you definitely have to visit the Colosseum.  We had it set as one of the first things to do when we got there, however it wasn't that simple.  You have to buy tickets-even if you have already bought tickets, which are for hours in the future and then you have to wait in a super long line to get in.  As you wait in the super long line to get it, there are people that walk by and try to sell you tickets to their tours, so that you can get in sooner.  We finally decided to do that, and then ended up getting in later than if we just waited in the line.  It was so frustrating.


The Colosseum was built so that the Roman ruler of the time could use criminals as entertainment.  They would play cruel games with them having them fight against each other or against wild animals.  The architecture was very fascinating.  After it fell out of use, it was ignored for more than a century and then eventually used for animals to graze inside.  Part of the Colosseum collapsed during an earthquake, but that has been repaired.  Part of the Colosseum is still being excavated.

A few blocks away in town, there is another building that looks almost the same as the Colosseum, but it is a little smaller, and it is the building that was used to see plays and indoor events.