After two millennia, the Commodus passage is once again accessible to the general public.

Visitors to Rome are exploring the Commodus Passage, a secret passageway in the Colosseum that was formerly only accessible to emperors, for the first time in nearly two millennia.

When the Commodus Passage opened along the southern foundations of the amphitheatre on October 27, 2025, guided tours started. An imperial passage for guided tours beneath the Colosseum was been up by conservators at the Colosseum Archaeological Park (PArCo).

Barbara Nazzaro, an architect with PArCo who specialises in safe visitor pathways inside delicate brickwork, oversaw the project. Workers constructed a walkway, fixed a collapsed vault portion, and stabilised walls between October 2024 and September 2025. Work is still ongoing in 2026.

According to a statement from the Colosseum Archaeological Park, "the opening of the Passage of Commodus is of extraordinary significance."

The Commodus Passage's origin

Although the private tunnel was later cut onto the southern foundations, the amphitheatre was opened around 80 CE. By connecting three corridor arms—two flowing east-west and one aligned north-south—builders created an S-curve.

Without coming into contact with the general people, the passage ran towards the city from the pulvinar, an elevated seating area above the arena floor designed specifically for the emperor.

The corridor's ultimate destination is still unknown since the outer section degraded and partially rests outside the Colosseum.

Decorations intended to make an impression

The corridor's finishes indicated rank, with sculpted reliefs and marble cladding directing attention to the arena entrance. After subsequent craftsmen substituted painted plaster landscapes for marble, the scars from the metal clamps that originally pinned slabs to stone still exist.

Overhead, niches depicted acrobats and boar hunts, while stucco, a lime plaster that solidifies into design, depicted Dionysus and Ariadne. The corridor now conveys status through missing patches as much as intact detail because the majority of surfaces survive as shards.

Below-ground degradation

The constant humidity of the subterranean air gradually deteriorated the plaster on the corridor walls and shattered paints.

Paint can be separated from its base by the sharp granules of dissolved minerals that recrystallise as salts when water passes through stone.

Because forceful drying might fracture old layers and accelerate further loss, PArCo conservators minimised infiltration and carefully cleansed surfaces.

Even after repairs, the area needs to be closely watched because even slight variations in humidity can cause damage to resurface in a matter of months.

Restoration of light and video

The corridor's curves are followed by new lighting, and engineers adjusted the brightness to mimic daylight seeping through tiny vault openings. A digital reconstruction uses a computer model created from surviving traces to add colour and design without repainting the original walls.

According to Nazzaro, "visitors can now experience what it was like to be an emperor entering the arena." The visit is most effective when guests are aware of which surfaces are real and which are recreated, as the on-site digital reconstruction depends on interpretation.

Why Commodus is given credit

Despite the corridor's seemingly ancient stonework, the moniker links it to Emperor Commodus.

The name refers to a subsequent attack that Cassius Dio describes, but brick stamps indicate building between the late Domitian era and Trajan.

During his reign from 180 to 192 CE, Commodus utilised secret passageways like this to remain hidden and safe.

The corridor's remaining plaster and bricks determine the real boundaries of what is known, but that story adds drama. Maintaining the Commodus Passage: On Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., guides lead guests, keeping the passage neat in a small area.

Groups are limited to eight members, which lessens floor vibration and delays the rise of humidity brought on by body heat and breathing.

The ticket provides 90 minutes on the first and second levels in addition to the 25-minute corridor segment. Many tourists will not be able to secure a spot due to limited availability, particularly during Rome's busiest vacation months.

Accessibility below ground

Upgrades to accessibility concentrate on physical entry so that individuals who are unable to manage steps can still follow the guided path. Six 19th-century stairs are covered by a retractable stair that, when staff activates it, transforms into a lifting platform.

Additionally, visitors follow surviving figures in the ceiling stuccoes using a tactile map, which consists of elevated graphics that can be read by touch. Because permanent fasteners may conceal evidence or stress stone that has already broken, these modifications must be removable.

The Commodus Passage's Teachings

A geophysical survey covering roughly 200 feet (60 meters) of foundation was conducted by scientists using the corridor. To picture layers within the buried concrete, the team used ground-penetrating radar, a technique that detects reflected radio pulses.

The findings revealed concealed holes and stacked foundation phases, which are important facts since voids can alter how a building reacts to earthquakes. These kinds of findings support conservation efforts by pointing out areas that may require future attention, such as water routes, utilities, or weak zones.

The corridor's opening unites building science, access tools, art fragments, and restoration into a single path beneath the amphitheatre. Since the most crucial components are still absent or too delicate, its worth depends on precise boundaries and an explanation.