Roman theatre of Verona, Ancient Roman theatre on San Pietro hill, Italy
The Roman theatre of Verona is an open-air structure on the north bank of the Adige, with seating rows climbing the natural slope of San Pietro hill. The cavea forms a semicircle rising from the lowest rows near the river to the top tiers close to the monastery complex, where terraces offer views over the city below.
Construction took place in the late first century BC under Emperor Augustus, when Verona grew as a Roman colony. During medieval times the structure disappeared beneath houses and religious buildings, until antiquarian Andrea Monga began purchasing and uncovering the remains from 1830 onwards.
The name San Pietro recalls the church that stood on the ruins until the nineteenth century, using building materials from the theatre itself. Today the original entrances to the cavea remain open, showing how spectators once reached their seats through a practical system of Roman assembly planning.
The archaeological museum sits in the upper levels of the complex and offers access to terraces overlooking the river bank below. Visiting requires comfortable shoes, as several staircases connect the different levels of the cavea between the lower rows and the monastery.
The stage floor once concealed mechanisms that allowed operators to raise and lower the curtain during performances from below. This technical installation in the basement shows how Roman engineers created surprise effects in theatrical productions.
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