Sutri amphitheatre, Roman amphitheatre in Sutri, Italy
The Sutri amphitheatre is an oval structure carved entirely from the natural tuff rock on which the town sits, making it one of the few Roman amphitheatres that was not built up with separate materials. It has multiple seating rows arranged around a central arena floor, with a series of entrance gates spaced around its perimeter.
The amphitheatre is built of tuff and dates to a period between the end of the 2nd century and the 1st century. It was rediscovered only in the first half of the 19th century, when the local population excavated it between 1835 and 1838. Like the Flavian Amphitheatre in Rome, it had a crowning level with decorative structures such as niches, statues and columns, partly preserved today.
The amphitheatre is now part of Sutri's urban park, where it is open to visitors and used for guided tours and educational activities about its Roman past. Its rediscovery came only in the first half of the 19th century, when local people dug it out between 1835 and 1838.
The site sits just outside the center of Sutri and can be reached on foot from the main streets of town. The tuff steps can be uneven and slippery in places, so sturdy footwear is a good idea before exploring the seating areas.
Unlike most Roman amphitheatres, no stone was quarried and transported to build this one since the entire structure was shaped from the hillside itself. This means the rock removed to form the seating was the same rock that once filled the space now used as the arena floor.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,524 contributors worldwide.
