Chester Roman Amphitheatre

Located in the heart of the city centre, the Roman amphitheatre at Chester was the largest in Britain. There have been two stone-built amphitheatres on the site, which have been used for entertainment and military training.

Chester was an important site in the Roman empire which is underlined in the way the two buildings differed from each other and from all other British amphitheatres. The first included access to the upper tiers of seats via stairs on the rear wall, as at Pompeii, and had a small shrine next to its north entrance. The second provided seat access via vaulted stairways.

The amphitheatre was the scene of Britain's largest archaeological excavation in 2005 and finds uncovered from these digs are on display in the Grosvenor Museum, just a short stroll away from the Amphitheatre.

A level pavement and footpath surround the excavated areas of the ampitheatre (around two-fifths is visible), which have a clear view down to the site. The central theatre area is only accessible via several steps.

Open daily all year round during day light hours.

Schools and groups should contact the Grosvenor Museum to arrange a visit.