Odeon of Pompeii - Pompeii, Campania, Italy
N 40° 44.930 E 014° 29.300
33T E 456804 N 4511001
The Odeon is an ancient amphitheatre - a highlight of the excavated town of Pompeii, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. // L'Odeon è un antico anfiteatro - un punto culminante della città scavata di Pompei, un patrimonio mondiale dell'UNESCO.
Waymark Code: WMKF9Q
Location: Campania, Italy
Date Posted: 04/05/2014
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The Odeon is an ancient amphitheatre - a highlight of the excavated town of Pompeii, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Established in the 1st century B.C., The Odeon is the smaller of Pompeii's two excavated amphitheatres. It represents one of the most harmonious and well-balanced examples of architecture of this type. It could hold up to 1,000 spectators and could be covered permanently. It is well preserved and shows the typical design of the Greek theatre with its structure deeply embanked in the natural slope of the terrain. It was used to host plays and musical events. In addition it was used for the performance of mimes.
In order to cover the enclosed space by a roof the upper rows of seats were reduced in length and the whole building - cavea, orchestra and stage - were brought together into an oblong shape; only the orchestra and the lower rows of seats in the cavea form a complete semi-circle; the remainder were truncated by the outside walls.
The pyramidal roof was supported by a wall on all four sides; in the upper part of the wall, between the roof and the highest row of seats were probably windows.
Much more detail on the amphitheatre's construction can be found in the link below.