A view over the inside of the Arena. The Roman amphitheratre Arena is the most renowned veronese monument. Today the Arena is set in the historical centre and acts as a backdrop for Piazza Brį. But once upon a time, when the Romans built it the monument was located at the margins of the urban area, outside the circle of the walls. The Arena summarises in itself almost twenty centuries of local history. Through time, it has become the very symbol of the city. Its cult has far away roots, that go back to carolingian humanism. The fame that the amphitheatre has enjoyed in the civic consciousness of the veronese has gradually let the monument to increasingly assume the character of the very symbol of ancient nobility. The Arena has always served the special purpose of spectacular event. During roman time, for example, it was used for spetacles of gladiator fighting. In the Medieval times and until the mid eighteenth century, games and torunaments were common events at the Arena. In 1913, the Arena was finally discovered for what it has become known for today, as the first true and most important open-air opera theatre in the world. (source: Verona, City Book - Verona.com)