Teatro Romano

The Roman Theatre in Aosta is an extraordinary example of Roman provincial architecture of the Early Empire and one of the most impressive e spectacular in northern Italy. Built in the decades following the foundation of Augusta Praetoria Salassorum (25 BC), the building stood in the north-eastern part of the city, a short distance from the Porta Praetoria.

Architecture and Structure

Unlike many ancient theatres, which were built making use of the natural slope of a hill, the theatre in Aosta was designed as a detached building entirely elevated, supported by a complex network of arches and pillars.

• The South Façade: It is the most spectacular remnant of the original building. It is an imposing wall, approximately 22 metres, organised into four overlapping orders featuring arches and windows of various sizes, designed to reduce the load on the masonry and create a monumental aesthetic effect.
• La Cavea: The semi-circular structure intended for the public consisted of several tiers of seating that extended all the way to the third storey of windows, providing an estimated capacity of several thousand spectators (between 3,000 and 4,000). Today, the six steps down and the two larger ones seats near the orchestra, reserved for authority. The following are still visible: sturdy masonry radial supports on which the upper tiers of seating – now gone – rested, as well as a system of covered corridors (corridors) which ensured that the crowd moved in an orderly manner.
• The Scenic Building: Situated opposite the auditorium, just behind the orchestra pit, the following parts of the theatre building remain today: foundations. Originally, its façade was richly decorated with Corinthian columns, statues e marbles, and was supplemented by various back-of-house areas.
• The Cover (The Hypothesis of the Theatrum Tectum): The presence of imposing perimeter buttresses has led archaeologists to speculate that the theatre may have been partially or entirely covered by a timber joinery, effectively turning it into a Odeon (an indoor theatre for musical and dramatic performances) of exceptional size.

History and Rediscovery

With the the decline of the Roman Empire and with the end of classical performances, the building lost its original function. During the Middle Ages, the structures were partly dismantled to make way for building materials and incorporated into private homes and fortified buildings.

The first ones systematic archaeological excavations and the restoration work began in the the 1930s, stripping the monumental façade of its medieval superstructures and uncovering the foundations of the orchestra and the stage. Today, the site is perfectly integrated into the the historic centre of Aosta and is one of the main stops on the city’s archaeological trail.