Have you ever wondered where the missing piece of the Roman Colosseum is? The answer might surprise you: it didn’t fade away, it’s scattered across the Eternal City.
If you look closely, you’ll notice that the northern side remains almost intact, but the southern part is ruined. In 1349, an earthquake sank a large portion of the exterior ring, especially toward the south, where the ground amplifies the tremors. However, that alone is not enough to explain the current state of this emblematic building.
Since the 6th century CE, the Flavian Amphitheatre became a quarry for stone. Portions of its travertine ended up being used in the construction of buildings such as St. Peter’s Basilica or the Barberini Palace.
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