A Roman amphitheatre, famous as a tourist destination from the eighteenth century on, and today also known for its opera performances. Originally constructed outside the city, with a façade of white and pink limestone, the Arena dates from AD 30; it could seat more than 30,000 spectators and was used for shows and games. The outer ring was mostly destroyed by an earthquake in 1117 and the building was left largely as a ruin until the Renaissance, when theatrical productions were once again mounted there. Mozart and his father visited the Arena during their stay in Bologna in 1770.