In Lucca which is in Tuscany, Central Italy, the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro was created from the ruins of a Roman amphitheater built in the second century, which could accommodate approximately 10,000 people. The current oval shape of the square mirrors the outline of the original amphitheater.
The amphitheater, where gladiator shows and games were traditionally held, was built in Lucca in the second half of the 1st century A.D. The subsequent discovery of coins from the reign of Emperor Claudius, during the demolition of some walls in the 19th century, proves that the construction began after the middle half of the 1st century.
Over the course of time, the use of the building changed. Due to its size and position outside the town walls it became a threat to the town itself as it risked falling into enemy’s hands. That’s why from the 6th century A.D., during the Gothic wars and the siege of Narsetes, the amphitheater was fortified for military purposes and its outer arches were closed. Following this, other buildings used as houses and for a certain period even as prisons, were added to the structures.
Between 1830 and 1839, following a project by the architect Lorenzo Nottolini, the buildings occupying the ancient arena were pulled down and the inner area became a piazza. Today the remains of the Roman amphitheater are preserved, incorporated in the buildings bordering the present-day Piazza dell’Anfiteatro.The elliptic shape of the piazza corresponds to a great extent to the area of the ancient arena. This is the result of a 19th century restoration that permits us to appreciate the size and the general outline of the ancient monument. On the outer perimeter, along the Via dell’Anfiteatro, we can see some of the original walls, in particular in front of Piazza Scalpellini.
Today the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro is a major tourist attraction and one that visitors to Tuscany in Central Italy don’t want to miss.
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