Continuing our walk, we are now at Edmondo Street number 17, where you may now enter the inner courtyard and access a tranquil oasis. Usually, the place is open daily from 8 AM to 19 PM, and while you may explore the inner surroundings, let us narrate you the peculiarity of this place.

Here, in this part of the town where you currently stand, you can imagine exiting the south-western perimeter of the ancient city, approaching what was the Roman countryside of the 4th century CE. Back in Roman times, this area would probably be filled with shacks, farmer houses, peasants’ buildings, and small markets. However, for a traveller of that time on his way to Mediolanum, all this would probably be insignificant when faced with a notorious roman building; in fact, precisely where we now stand, was once the location of possibly the largest building in Milan: the Amphitheatre.

The amphitheatre is an open-air venue for various types of entertainment and performances, a popularly known place for gladiators’ combat. The term derives from the ancient Greek amphitheatron, a word composed of “amphi”, meaning on both sides, or around, and “théātron”, meaning place for viewing. So yes, even Milan had its own Colosseum located just outside the ancient city walls, whose impressive size and incredible architecture captured everyone’s attention.

The building was finished in the 1st century CE, and according to excavation studies, the arena could accommodate around 20,000 people, an incredible number for the time. We can imagine the crowds’ roars, and breathtaking performances that amazed the ancient Roman citizens of Mediolanum. It was a world incredibly different from today; the historical representations of battles, exotic animals, and fights between gladiators from different distant lands, were perhaps the only opportunities for citizens to learn about their empire’s greatness. Only then, they could imagine far, almost unreachable worlds. This hunger for curiosity and knowledge, blended with excitement, attracted thousands of Roman citizens to participate in the prestigious games. Among these events were the famous so-called “venationes”, hunting representations with ferocious and often exotic animals, and the “naumachie”, real naval battles that required the arena to be completely flooded.

Today, part of the structure’s foundations are still visible in the archaeological park, brought into light after years of excavations, but unfortunately off limits for visitors due to renovations.

Nevertheless, the amphitheatre extended here in an elliptical shape, covering a large part of the surrounding area, now occupied by buildings and houses. The remains of the western and eastern sectors have been found under the neighbouring buildings. Also noteworthy, is a portion of a line in the central area of the archaeological park. This line, in front of the foundations, marked the beginning of the ground on which the gladiators fought.

Last but not least, close to the entrance of this courtyard you may have passed, visitors can discover a fascinating ancient reality inside the nearby museum, called “Alda Levi Museum”.

Today, the museum is dedicated to Alda Levi, a Jewish archaeologist active in the years before the Second World War. Due to the racial laws, she lost her job and had to abandon her projects, spending the period of the Nazi occupation in Rome, under the threat of deportation. She was the only official responsible for archaeological protection in the region, during years of intense urban development. We owe to her much of the work we inherited today.

The museum’s access may vary seasonally, but access is always free, and usually open from Tuesday to Saturday, spanning the hours of 10AM and 2PM. Inside, is a small but interesting collection of objects found in the area, with anecdotes and personal stories, such as that of the gladiator called “Urbicus”, who died at what we consider an early age of 22.

And so, after imagining here the ancient echoes of crowds, and possibly visiting the museum, we will guide you towards one of the most famous churches of Milan, where the famous patron of the city still rests in peace. Please now follow the marked path on the map, until approaching the wonderful Basilica of Saint Ambrose.

Ptolemy

Ptolemy

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