Manmade Attractions in Italy
Colosseum
The Colosseum in Rome is the largest and most famous amphitheatre that the Romans built. In total, they had built 200 similar buildings, but the Colosseum was one of the most popular ones during the Roman times. This building was a symbol of the Roman army and their power and strength. It was built by slaves and was there as a reminder that the city's power was indestructible. In the arena, a fight to the death took place and the Colosseum seated at least 50,000. Women were put at the back and the more important you were, the closer you were to the arena itself. After the Colosseum was built, the Romans built all their amphitheatres in the same way, but with different designs so that they remained unique.
Pantheon
The Pantheon is over 2000 years old and was a temple that is now a church. It is the best kept monuments that the Romans ever created. It was built in 126AD and the word Pantheon means 'a temple to all the Gods' in Greek. How well the Pantheon was built, nobody will never know because in the reign of King Titan, it was burned down in 80AD. After that, a second Pantheon was built, but that too was burned down in a fire. It is the third Pantheon that remains even to this day as a ruin in the city of Rome. However, to honour the Goddess Agrippa, there was a sign on the front of the building that said that she had made it. Inside the Pantheon is a dome, the largest dome to have ever been built at that time. It is 43 metres in diameter and to hold this dome, it had to be made of brick and concrete six metres thick! The reason that the Pantheon has been so well-preserved is because the Roman Emperor Phocas gave the building to the Popes in 609AD and has been made into a Christian church.
Leaning tower of Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a bell tower found in Pisa, Italy. The tower leans to one side, however, this was not actually intended when the monument was originally built. Due to the soft sand, the foundations were not very strong, and so the tower began to lean to one side as it was being built. As the tower began to take shape, the construction got worse until eventually, in 1990, it was stabilised and partially fixed. Between the higher and lower side of the tower, there is a difference of around 1.27 feet and there are 294 steps on the North side, but 296 on the South. To build the whole tower, it took around 344 years, construction began in August 1173. The construction was stopped twice, both times due to wars. The first stop lasted 100 years. Even to this day, nobody really knows who the real architect for the design was. There are seven bells for the Cathedral bell tower. The bells are located on the very top floor- the eight floor.
St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica is over 500 years old and is another piece of architecture that has Christian influences in it. The current Basilica is actually the second Basilica. The first one was built and it wore out very quickly. Nothing can be seen from the first Basilica, but a very small piece of mosaic has been kept and is in a museum. The Basilica has over 100 tombs in it. Over 90 of those tombs belong to a Pope. There is also the remains of an Emperor and a Queen. From the bottom of the Basilica to Michelangelo's dome, it would be approximately 491 stairs. It took 41 years for all the statues to be carved and there are 140 statues of various saints outside the top of the colonnade.
The Colosseum in Rome is the largest and most famous amphitheatre that the Romans built. In total, they had built 200 similar buildings, but the Colosseum was one of the most popular ones during the Roman times. This building was a symbol of the Roman army and their power and strength. It was built by slaves and was there as a reminder that the city's power was indestructible. In the arena, a fight to the death took place and the Colosseum seated at least 50,000. Women were put at the back and the more important you were, the closer you were to the arena itself. After the Colosseum was built, the Romans built all their amphitheatres in the same way, but with different designs so that they remained unique.
Pantheon
The Pantheon is over 2000 years old and was a temple that is now a church. It is the best kept monuments that the Romans ever created. It was built in 126AD and the word Pantheon means 'a temple to all the Gods' in Greek. How well the Pantheon was built, nobody will never know because in the reign of King Titan, it was burned down in 80AD. After that, a second Pantheon was built, but that too was burned down in a fire. It is the third Pantheon that remains even to this day as a ruin in the city of Rome. However, to honour the Goddess Agrippa, there was a sign on the front of the building that said that she had made it. Inside the Pantheon is a dome, the largest dome to have ever been built at that time. It is 43 metres in diameter and to hold this dome, it had to be made of brick and concrete six metres thick! The reason that the Pantheon has been so well-preserved is because the Roman Emperor Phocas gave the building to the Popes in 609AD and has been made into a Christian church.
Leaning tower of Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a bell tower found in Pisa, Italy. The tower leans to one side, however, this was not actually intended when the monument was originally built. Due to the soft sand, the foundations were not very strong, and so the tower began to lean to one side as it was being built. As the tower began to take shape, the construction got worse until eventually, in 1990, it was stabilised and partially fixed. Between the higher and lower side of the tower, there is a difference of around 1.27 feet and there are 294 steps on the North side, but 296 on the South. To build the whole tower, it took around 344 years, construction began in August 1173. The construction was stopped twice, both times due to wars. The first stop lasted 100 years. Even to this day, nobody really knows who the real architect for the design was. There are seven bells for the Cathedral bell tower. The bells are located on the very top floor- the eight floor.
St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica is over 500 years old and is another piece of architecture that has Christian influences in it. The current Basilica is actually the second Basilica. The first one was built and it wore out very quickly. Nothing can be seen from the first Basilica, but a very small piece of mosaic has been kept and is in a museum. The Basilica has over 100 tombs in it. Over 90 of those tombs belong to a Pope. There is also the remains of an Emperor and a Queen. From the bottom of the Basilica to Michelangelo's dome, it would be approximately 491 stairs. It took 41 years for all the statues to be carved and there are 140 statues of various saints outside the top of the colonnade.