Teatro Romano

Teatro Romano is a roman amphitheater located in Trieste, at the foot of the San Giusto Hill, on the edge of the old city.

SHORT HISTORY

At the time of its construction, dated to the end of the 1st century BC, the theater was located outside the city walls. Back then, the sea reached up to this area, and the theater was practically on its shore.

At the beginning of the 2nd century AD, the theater was expanded, probably at the behest of Quinto Petronio Modesto, procurator of the emperor Trajan, mentioned in several inscriptions.

Over the centuries, the theater was hidden by the structures that rose around it. Considered lost, it was rediscovered in 1814 by the architect Pietro Nobile, but only in 1938 was it brought to light, during the demolition of a part of the old city.

The statues and inscriptions found in the excavations are kept at the Tergestino Lapidarium, in the Castle of San Giusto.

Nowadays, the amphitheater is still occasionally used for outdoor summer shows.

ARCHITECTURE

According to the Greek custom, the amphitheater takes advantage of the natural slope of the hill. The seating area is divided into four main sections by five sets of steps and was on two levels divided by corridors, of which only the lower one remains. A semicircular wall that supported the roof delimits the structure on the outside.

The Roman Theater was built almost entirely of masonry, except for the stage, which was made of wood. In ancient times, it could accommodate from 3,500 to 6,000 spectators.

HOW TO GET THERE

Teatro Romano is located about 1.1 kilometers from the Trieste Centrale railway station and about 300 meters from Piazza Unità d’Italia. The closest bus stop is about 120 meters away, on Corso Italia, on the bus Lines 11 and 25. To find the monument on foot, use the map below.