Circus Maximus

The contours of the ancient stadium, built in the 6th century BC, are still visible in what is now a park in the shadow of the Palatine. Circus Maximus was primarily devoted to chariot races and was used for this purpose until around 550 AD. The stadium could seat up to 150,000 people. The original structure was built of wood. It burned down twice, on the second occasion starting the great fire when the Emperor Nero was said to have fiddled while Rome burned. It was in one of the tunnels here that Caligula met his end. Excavations began in 2009 at the east end of the circus and are likely to go on for some years.

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Sources: Wikivoyage · Data updated Oct 31, 2026

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