Chester Roman Amphitheatre

Chester Roman Amphitheatre is the largest Roman amphitheatre in Britain, built in the late first century AD just outside the south-east corner of the legionary fortress and probably used both for entertainment and for weapons training. Only about two-fifths of the oval is exposed; the rest lies unexcavated behind a brick wall. In the excavated part you can trace the north and east entrances used by performers, the original stone wall lining the arena and, beside the north entrance, the room that held an altar to Nemesis, goddess of fate. Derelict by the 120s AD, the arena was reused from about AD 275 until about AD 350, then built over and only uncovered in the 1950s. Reviewers recommend seeing it on a guided walking tour of the city, which helps bring the remains to life. A level pavement circles the site, but the arena floor is reached by steps, and paid city-centre car parks are a short walk away.