Many people visit the Colosseum every day, but very few know that right next to it lies the only gladiators’ training school still visible in Rome: the Ludus Magnus.
Part of it is buried beneath the modern city, but if you look closely, you can still recognize the outline of a smaller arena, where gladiators once trained before stepping into the Colosseum.
The surrounding structures once held dormitories, storerooms, and even infirmaries: the backstage life of the gladiators.
Here’s a closer look.
📍 You’ll find it in Via Labicana
Want to discover more gems of Rome?
Take a look at our small-group walking tours. On these tours you explore Rome’s iconic sights and lots of unexpected wonders you might miss otherwise, always in intimate groups of no more than 12 people.
Our tours are not packed, not rushed, and not stuck in tourist spots — because this is how we’d show Rome to a close friend. You can learn more about how our Rome tours work or the best Rome tours.
