Both amphitheatres in ancient Carnuntum are worth visiting. The Amphitheatre Petronell is about 700 metres from the Open Air Museum Petronell. Let the magic of this location take hold of you and imagine the atmosphere when up to 12,000 visitors poured through the massive gates and enthusiastically cheered the public entertainment from their seats in the stands.
The Amphitheatre Petronell is situated on the southern outskirts of the civilian city, a few hundred metres from the Roman city wall (which is no longer visible). It was built in the first half of the 2nd century AD and rebuilt several times in the following centuries. The Amphitheatre could be accessed via two gates to the north and to the south, whereby the main entrance was situated in the north. Originally both entrances could be closed by massive wooden gates. Tiered rows of seats surrounded the oval-shaped arena where once gladiator fights or animal hunts took place. In some places the wall around the arena is more than 2 metres high, and the original wall was probably up to 4 metres high. In ancient times passages led from the stands (of which nothing remains to be seen today) to all the tiered rows of seats. The remains of a pool can be seen next to the southern gate. This was erected in late antiquity from inscription stones and fragments.
Čeština
English
Français
Deutsch
Magyar
Italiano
Slovenčina