AFP

Video. Rome's famous Colosseum reopens to visitors after three month lockdown

Rome's famous Colosseum reopened on Monday after a three-month coronavirus lockdown.

Rome's famous Colosseum reopened on Monday after a three-month coronavirus lockdown.

The massive amphitheatre is Italy's top tourism site and normally welcomes thousands of tourists per day but just a few hundred people were expected as the site reopened.

Centuries ago, it was the location of gory deaths of gladiators and wild animals but it was eerily quiet Monday with new health protocols in place.

Also visibly absent were the modern-day gladiators usually waving plastic swords outside.

The colosseum is now open from 10:30 am to 7:15 pm, until June 30 as part of a loosening of coronavirus restrictions, in place since early March in Italy.

There is a reduced ticket price in the afternoon for visitors to the amphitheatre.

Prior to the virus outbreak, the ancient Roman amphitheatre was visited by millions each year.