Did you know? A 2,000 year-old Roman gladiator ring was buried under the streets of London for centuries. Once a venue for wild animal fights, public executions and gladiatorial combats, London’s only Roman amphitheater was discovered in 1988 by group of archeologists from the Museum of London during a dig in preparation for the new Art Gallery building at Guildhall Yard. Today, the surviving remains are open to the public and displayed in a protected and controlled environment within the new Art Gallery. Visitors to the site can step into a 2,000 year-old gladiator ring and view a stretch of the stone entrance tunnel, east gate, and arena walls. The original extent of the outer wall is marked by a circle of black paving stones located outside the building in Guildhall Yard.
- London’s Roman Amphitheatre
- Guildhall Art Gallery EC2V 5AE
- www.cityoflondon.gov.uk