Area archeologica del teatro romano

The archeological site of the Roman theatre is reached through a sixteenth century buidling with a frescoed freize. Nestling at the base of St. Peter's hill, the theatre was probably built at the end of the first period of Roman urbanisation, that is, at the end of the first century A.D, meaning that the project was carried out at the same time as the city's urban development. This affermation is confirmed by its perfect alignment with the network of streets, to which is is a focal element. In the centuries that followed, the site was abandoned, and suffered both flood and earthquake damage, so that by the Renaissance it has already been reduced to ruins and a church and convent were actually built on the site. Archeological excavations began in around 1757, thaks to the Abbot Fontana, and they continued into the 19th century, bringing a large part of the original structure back to light. Other excavations were carried out in the twentieth century, so that after the war the theatre was used to host spectacles and events of a high artistic standard, usually in conjunction with the summer season at the Arena.

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• Attraction Type: Monuments and Landmarks

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