Archaeology & History

Secret VIP tunnel in the Colosseum has now opened to the public

By T.K. Randall
October 8, 2025 ·  1 comment

Image: Colosseum - Rome - Italy
Credit: Sam Valadi / CC BY 2.0 (adapted) The Colosseum remains one of the greatest architectural wonders of the ancient world - an enormous arena that dominated the Roman skyline and that was attended at its peak by vast crowds of up to 80,000 people.

In its center, bloody battles involving hardened gladiators and sometimes even wild beasts were fought, providing gruesome entertainment to the people of Rome.

Today, visitors can still explore this remarkable structure and now, following extensive restoration work, a new section has been opened to the public - a secret tunnel that enabled Roman emperors to skip the crowds while also making it possible for them to make a quick exit when the need arose.Constructed long after the Colosseum itself was completed, the tunnel extends over 180ft through the structure's foundations.

"It makes accessible and accessible for the first time ever a place so fascinating for its history, its architecture, and, not least, its decorative apparatus, which was for exclusive use and hidden from the public during the time of the emperors," Colosseum officials stated.

For the first time visitors can walk the passage thought to have allowed emperors to visit gladiators in their gym before sealing their fate — and sneaking out unseen ⬇️ https://t.co/ksTUFmCVza

— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) October 8, 2025

Source: Mail Online | Comments (1)

Tags: Colosseum