Number of visitors to the Colosseum archaeological park in Rome 2012-2020

The number of visitors to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill archaeological park in Rome experienced a sharp decrease in 2020 over the previous year, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. During the health crisis, cultural institutions had to close to the public for several months, as emergency restrictions were put in place to limit the spread of the virus. As a result, whereas roughly 7.6 million people visited one of the most popular museum attractions in Italy in 2019, the number of visitors to the Colosseum archaeological park dropped to approximately 1.1 million in 2020.

What are the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill famous for?

The Roman Colosseum is one of the most iconic historical buildings in the world, and perhaps the most popular among tourists. However, for those who have studied Ancient Roman history and the Roman Empire, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are of equal, if not more, interest. In and around the Roman Forum lay the ruins of the most important structures of Ancient Rome, where for centuries the city was centralized. It is considered by historians to be the most celebrated meeting place in history. Palatine Hill, overlooking the Forum, is also one of the most ancient parts of the city, where Romulus and Remus were believed to be found and on which Romulus eventually decided to build the city. Later many Imperial palaces were built here. The Colosseum was also built later and became a symbol of Imperial Rome. As the largest amphitheater ever built, it staged public spectacles and gladiatorial contests, as seen in popular movies such as Gladiator. The sites ranked as the tourist attraction with the highest income in Italy in 2020, although this figure decreased significantly over 2019, due to the pandemic.

Tourism in Rome

Rome is the most popular tourist destination in Italy. Around nine million international tourists visit Rome each year, ranking it among the most visited city destinations in Europe. Besides Rome, the Italian city of Milan also ranked highly for international tourism.