For the first time, the Colosseum Archaeological Park is opening to the public the so-called Passage of Commodus — a vaulted underground corridor, partially lit and ventilated through small openings. The corridor connected the pulvinar (the box reserved for the highest ranking individuals of the Empire), located at the southern end of the Colosseum’s minor axis, with the exterior of the monument. Not planned to be built during the original construction phase, it was materialized later, between the late 1st and early 2nd centuries AD, by excavating through the foundations of the Flavian Amphitheater.

The opening of the Passage of Commodus is an extraordinary event. For the very first time, visitors may access a place full of charm due to its history, architecture, and decorative elements, which was hidden from the crowds due to its exclusive use at the time of the emperors. Restoration has finally reinstated the full legibility of the ancient surfaces: walls initially laid with marble (still showing traces of the metal implements that supported the slabs) replaced later by plaster painted with landscapes. The stucco on the vault features mythological scenes from the myth of Dionysus and Ariadne, and on the niches at the entrance to the route, there are scenes related to the arena shows (boar hunts, bear fights accompanied by acrobatic entertainment, tricks behind the doors from which animals emerge).

For later uses of the Colosseum, see here.