Italy: Rome – Theater of Marcellus
Theater of Marcellus was the largest and most important theater in Rome. Built on the orders of Julius Caesar and completed by Augustus, the theater was built in 13 BC and could hold 20,000 spectators for plays and musical contests. The architecture of this theater served as the model for many other Roman structures, most important of them – the Colosseum. During the Middle Ages, the theater was privately owned by rich Italian families and was partially converted into fortress. Many residential houses were built adjacent to the theater in the 18th century. Nowadays, it’s been all cleared and the theater proudly stands alone near the embankment of the Tiber River in the heard of Rome.
