In 1840, the Colosseum was a heap of ruins. In 1860, the year before Italy became a unified state, there was nothing but a wooden ladder to climb to the topmost tiers. One hundred years on, it had become the monument we see today.

In the 1970s, tourism was still scarce, so it was possible to shut the amphitheater down for extensive restoration work. Entry was free of charge: the ground level was considered part of the square, and you paid tickets merely to access the first level above. Very few used the tickets.