Colosseum opens gladiator pits - Third storey also unveiled as Rome icon boosts allure

ANSA ^ | 15 October 10

[GonzoII]

(ANSA) - Rome, October 15 - The Colosseum has added to its allure by opening the undergrounds pits where gladiators and wild beasts waited before being winched from darkness into the light of the killing ground.

As well as revealing the bowels of the one-time blood-and-guts arena, the famed monument is also reopening its third storey, closed since the 1970s, affording a breathtaking view of Rome.

The two new attractions, presented here Friday, aim to boost visitor numbers at the site, which is already Italy's single most visited monument at some 19,000 people a day.

Crowds were already flocking to get up to the 33m-high third ring and its spectacular views on Friday, while fans of ancient bloodletting will have to wait until Tuesday when groups of 25, strictly by reservation, will take the first steps by members of the public into the underground world.

According to Colosseum site director Rossella Rea, the gladiatorial areas are all the more fascinating because "they were completely buried in the 5th century AD and have been perfectly conserved".

"They never suffered the depredation which the surface parts of the monument were victims to," she said.

The so-called 'hypogeum' (literally, 'under ground') has been restored in a multi-million-euro project that has also installed new, muted lighting effects.

Rea said the hope was to have recaptured "some of the atmosphere" of the breathless moments before the games commenced, when the armoured or naked fighters and the wild animals were hauled up through 80 trap-doors.

The visit starts from the Porta Libitinaria, named after the goddess of the dead Libitina, through which the gladiators marched in and from which their corpses were taken out.

[GonzoII]

Ping.

[Perdogg]

Morituri te salutant!

[Huebolt]

For the first fight to the death using pitchforks, I nominate Barney, "Bite my Weenie", Frank and Harry "The Rod" Reid.

I'll bet the Rod beats the FRANK, though they're both true weenies.

(Sorry, I couldn't resist, Pace ad omnis...)

[mewzilla]

Semper ubi sub ubi!

[VaRepublican]

for those of us uneducated “always where under where”. or something to that affect.

[VaRepublican]

So I gots to know......did I use correct affect or is it effect cause I’s just don't know.

[Robert A Cook PE]

I shant ponder the effect of you’re underwhere’s wear lest it effect my wares everywheres elsewheres.

[SunkenCiv]

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[LibFreeOrDie]

For the first fight to the death using pitchforks, I nominate Barney, "Bite my Weenie", Frank and Harry "The Rod" Reid.

Well, here's Harry Reid (and a few others) for ya...

[wildbill]

I had to do a double take when I went to the site and glanced at the photo of the ‘portal’.

Perhaps I have at long last become an official dirty old man.