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What a wonderful world!
July 4, 2007
The Coliseum, Rome
The Leaning Tower of Pisa didn't make the cut, so the Coliseum was the solitary Roman representative on the list.
Some facts you probably did not know:
If Roman emperor Nero did indeed order the Christians to be fed to the lions, as it has been recorded with not total certainty, then the persecution would have happened in this amphitheatre. It is believed that after Rome was destroyed by a huge fire, Nero, who was considered unstable, blamed the fire on the Christians and had them punished.
The Coliseum, work on which was begun in 72 BC by Emperor Vespasian, took about 10 years to complete.
Now a crumbling magnificent edifice that adds majesty to downtown Rome, it could seat 50,000 in its heyday.
The Coliseum was used for 500 years. Games, re-staging of battles, hunts, animal fights and executions were all held here. Apparently 9,000 animals were killed during its inauguration.
Image: A Formula One Ferrari cruises past the Coliseum. Photograph: Andreas Solaro/AFP/Getty Images
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