The Colosseum is a tourist attraction in Rome.
The Colosseum or Coliseum ( [ kɒləˈsiːəm ] ) , also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre ( Latin : Amphitheatrum Flavium ; Italian : Anfiteatro Flavio [ aŋfiteˈaːtro ˈflaːvjo ] or Colosseo [ kolosˈsɛːo ] ) , is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome , Italy . It is one of Rome 's most popular tourist attractions and also has links to the Roman Catholic Church , as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit `` Way of the Cross '' procession that starts in the area around the Colosseum . Rome . Monuments and museums such as the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum are among the world 's most visited tourist destinations with both locations receiving millions of tourists a year .