DIVE INTO ANCIENT ROME TRAVELING ACROSS THE ISLAND OF MALTA!
RICASOLI FORT (Kalkara): Rome's Colosseum.
The scenes of ancient Rome were filmed over 19 weeks at Fort Ricasoli in Malta, where a replica of a third of the Colosseum was built, nearly 16 meters high and mostly made of plaster and plywood.
This replica took several months to construct and cost about a million dollars. The remaining two-thirds of the Colosseum’s height was added digitally.
Ridley Scott insisted that nothing should be filmed unless it felt real on camera. Extras, as well as the leading actor, performed many of the fights and stunt scenes. Wild animals, like lions, were used, but no animals were harmed during filming.
It was in this set where Maximus delivers the famous line that still resonates with viewers: “I am the father of a murdered son, husband of a murdered wife, and I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”
This set was reused for the sequel, 24 years later. The scale of the images and battles in the new film doubles that of the original.
A naumachia (a spectacular naval battle reenactment) was filmed here to become one of the most promising sequences of ‘Gladiator 2.’
In Valletta, within the Upper Barracca Gardens, some of the more political sequences from the 2000 film were shot.
The location is iconic for its visual impact, as are the Ricasoli and San Angelo forts, which were used both in the original movie and its sequel.
Experience an unforgettable adventure for any movie fan with this tour in Valletta!
