Colosseum Expectations Vs Reality Analysis

Colosseum - Expectations vs Reality

Someone who has never been to the Colosseum and can only imagine what it's like vs someone who has been to the Colosseum and has experienced how the romanticisation has ruined the history and culture.

It's a few thousand years old, stands nearly 50 metres tall and is made completely out of rocks and stone. There are hundreds of books about it and hundreds more mention it. After all, it is one of the most famous things to come out of the Roman empire. It's on every list of travel goals and things you need to see before you die. So obviously you would expect to see an incredible, ancient piece of history and architecture. Because of its popularity, everybody wants to see it. But many leave disappointed.

It's just as grand as the photos made it seem. I get even more excited, today is going to be awesome. I am going to be the experienced traveller back home. I was going to have some epic photos to post on Instagram. Inside the Colosseum it's cool. The spirits of defeated gladiators wrapping around my ankles, curious of the 21st-century intruder. The stairs are worn out and sink in the centre, a hand rail has been attached so that visitors don't fall down them to their death. As I walk into the audience area and look down at the old arena I feel like Julius Caesar. I can imagine the thunderous roar of thousands of spectators all cheering for either the lion or gladiator. The arena has given way to the underground tunnels and rooms that the fighters and animals were kept in. They are so deep I can barely see the bottom. The stones that formed the walls of the tunnels are covered in a lush looking green moss. As I begin to wander around the edge of the arena the warm Italian sun is shining down warming me to my core and lighting up all the little pockets of history. The sound in the colosseum is eery, there is almost no sound. I can hear my own heartbeat and I try not to make a sound like I might disturb the history. I run my hand along the old stone work taking in the glory of the Roman empire. The stones feel smooth, worn down by thousands of years of the elements and

It looks like it's swimming in a sea of people. As I get closer notice the noise gets louder. The sound of hundreds of people talking. There are tourists chatting, tour guides yelling and the traffic going past. Before I can even enter the Colosseum I have to line up with hundreds of other tourists to go through a security check. The sight of metal detectors and x ray machines set up in between stone pillars is just not right. The stairs leading up to the audience area have been worn down and are sloping in the middle. Probably a result of the tourists, not the Romans. A handrail has been attached to comply with health a safety, something completely out of place in such a historic place. As I am hustled into the audience area I keep checking my pockets to make sure my phone is still there. With this many people constantly accidentally touching me as they try to squeeze past I wouldn't be surprised if they tried something funny. I try to imagine the building full of Romans here to see the show, the lions and gladiators who were most likely going to be torn to shreds. I push my way through yet another tour group and finally make it to the edge of what was once the arena. The floor has long disappeared and I can barely see the remains of the underground tunnels. I let myself be moved by the crowd to where Julius Caesar once stood. I can hear a whining child as I try to