Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Old Town Hall Bank Museum And Exhibit Hall
The Old Town Hall Bank Museum and Exhibit Hall
Der Mensch bezwingt den Kosmos (The Potsdam Mosaic)
De Tijdtrap
Qadian rooftop, Minaratul Masih, and Masjid Mubarak.
Aqsa Mosque
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The Secret Gardens Saving the World’s Rarest Plants
about 2 hours ago
Solo travel can be challenging and sometimes lonely, but it also often leads to the greatest adventures.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Unplug on a Solo Trip?
about 23 hours ago
Museum of Friends
The Art in This Museum Was Donated for Free
about 23 hours ago
Grasshopper Chapel and grounds.
How the Rocky Mountain Locust Plague Spawned Federal Disaster Relief
2 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Lucca Piazza dell'Anfiteatro

Piazza dell'Anfiteatro

This bustling Italian plaza is built on the ruins of an ancient Roman amphitheater.

Lucca, Italy

Added By
Alan Newman
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Piazza dell’Anfiteatro in Lucca.   Lorena/CC BY-SA 2.0
Piazza dell’Anfiteatro in Lucca.   Lorena/CC BY-SA 2.0
An aerial photo of the piazza   Mizio66/CC BY-SA 3.0
Exteriors of the piazza showing amphitheater remains.   sailko/CC BY 2.5
Tindaro, an art installation by Igor Mitoraj.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Information about the sculpture   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
An inscription at the site.   Lucarelli/CC BY-SA 3.0
Piazza dell’Antifeatro   JamazingClayton / Atlas Obscura User
  tahasic / Atlas Obscura User
Piazza dell’Antifeatro   JamazingClayton / Atlas Obscura User
  Cloud Winchester / Atlas Obscura User
  Archimedes / Atlas Obscura User
  Archimedes / Atlas Obscura User
Outer wall   tahasic / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Piazza dell'Anfiteatro in Lucca is today a bustling plaza where tourists can enjoy their food and drinks, but several centuries ago, it was in this very spot that gladiators battled for supremacy in front of rapt audiences.

Situated on the northeastern side of the ancient walled Italian city, the marketplace is surrounded by buildings constructed exactly on the lines of an old Roman amphitheater, using parts of the original structure, giving it a distinctive elliptical form and its name. The best way to see the plaza's shape is from above but the view from inside the buildings also offers a different perspective of the plaza.

The construction of the amphitheater began in the first century but it wasn't completed until much later with the financial help of a wealthy resident. The theater’s 18 rows could seat nearly 10,000 viewers, making it an important site of entertainment and games of strength.

During the Gothic Wars of the sixth century, the site, along with many parts of the city, was fortified, and later houses and even a prisons were built on the crumbling ruins of the theater. The plaza took on its current form between 1830 and 1839, when architect Lorenzo Nottolini demolished some of the buildings crowding the inside of the arena, and restored its structure by using the original elliptical plan. The base of the amphitheater is now buried about nine feet below the center, and the remaining vaults and arches have been incorporated into the modern shops, cafes, and houses that circle the plaza.

The Piazza, which is also called Piazza Del Mercado, can be reached via four gateways, each at the four extremes of the ellipse. A recent addition to the plaza, a massive bronze sculpture of a human head by Polish artist Igor Mitoraj, is fast becoming one of the most popular selfie backgrounds in Lucca. 

Related Tags

Gladiators Theaters Markets Roman Games Cities Ancient
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Dr Alan P Newman

Edited By

JamazingClayton, Archimedes, tahasic, Cloud Winchester...

  • JamazingClayton
  • Archimedes
  • tahasic
  • Cloud Winchester
  • louisebeechey
  • ljleduc

Published

August 22, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.italyguides.it/en/tuscany/lucca/piazza-dell-anfiteatro
  • http://lucca.ca/attractions/piazzadellanfiteatro.html
  • http://www.tuscanypass.com/tuscany_attractions/9277_piazza-dell-anfiteatro.html
  • https://www.360cities.net/image/piazza-del-anfiteatro-lucca-toskana-italien
Piazza dell'Anfiteatro
45 Piazza dell'Anfiteatro
Lucca
Italy
43.845348, 10.506117
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Incorruptible St. Zita

Lucca, Italy

miles away

Torre Guinigi (Guinigi Tower)

Lucca, Italy

miles away

Oak of the Witches

Capannori, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lucca

Lucca

Italy

Places 3
Stories 1

Nearby Places

The Incorruptible St. Zita

Lucca, Italy

miles away

Torre Guinigi (Guinigi Tower)

Lucca, Italy

miles away

Oak of the Witches

Capannori, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Lucca

Lucca

Italy

Places 3
Stories 1

Related Places

  • Tarragona, Spain

    Tarragona Amphitheater

    This Roman arena once played host to bloody gladiatorial battles.

  • Aosta, Italy

    Aosta Roman Theatre

    An ancient theatre in the "little Rome of the Alps."

  • Römerstadt Carnuntum [Roman City Carnuntum]

    Petronell-Carnuntum, Austria

    Römerstadt Carnuntum (Roman City Carnuntum)

    A rebuilt Roman city that was once the largest Roman settlement in the region.

  • Amphitheater of Durrës

    Durrës, Albania

    Amphitheater of Durrës

    The largest Roman amphitheater in the Balkans once held over 20,000 people, but managed to lay hidden for hundreds of years.

  • The Colosseum seen from the Ludus Magnus.

    Rome, Italy

    Ludus Magnus

    The ruins of the largest gladiatorial school in Rome are largely hidden under modern streets.

  • Pula Arena

    Pula, Croatia

    Pula Arena

    One of the best-preserved Roman amphitheaters is still used today, but for less brutal events.

  •  Aspendos Theater.

    Serik, Turkey

    Aspendos Theater

    The best-preserved ancient theater in the world.

  • The Roman theater seen from Amman Citadel.

    Amman, Jordan

    Roman Theater of Amman

    This exceptionally well-preserved ancient marvel also houses a small museum dedicated to Jordanian folk tradition.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.