Amphitheatre of Serdica, Roman amphitheatre in Oborishte District, Sofia, Bulgaria
This amphitheatre is an oval structure built from stone blocks and underground passages that once held around 25,000 spectators. The complex stretches 60 meters long and 43 meters wide, with portions of the seating and arena floor now exposed.
Construction began in the late 3rd century under Emperor Diocletian and continued into the early 4th century under Constantine. Later the complex fell into disuse as the city expanded and its stones were taken for other buildings.
The name Serdica recalls the Roman settlement whose residents gathered here to watch contests and animal displays. Today parts of the seating lie below street level, and the open sections show how the city grew over the ancient remains.
Part of the ruins is built into the Arena di Serdica Hotel, where you can view coins and ceramic finds displayed in cases. The site is best visited in the morning when light reveals the stone walls clearly.
Excavations in 2004 uncovered animal footprints pressed into clay tiles, showing how restless the arena floor once was. Hundreds of bronze coins lay scattered in the underground corridors, likely dropped by spectators.
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