The Globe was modeled on the Colosseum in Rome, with a circular auditorium surrounded by three tiers of galleries. The stage was a thrust platform, roughly 43 feet (13 m) square, extending about 18 feet (5.5 m) into the auditorium. It was made of wood and covered with thatch.
The audience stood in the "yard" in front of the stage or sat in one of the galleries. The galleries were divided into three tiers, with the most expensive seats in the uppermost tier. The galleries were covered with a thatched roof, but the yard was open to the sky.
The Globe Theatre was a popular entertainment venue, and it was used by the Lord Chamberlain's Men to perform many of William Shakespeare's plays, including "Hamlet," "King Lear," and "Macbeth." The Globe was also used for other performances, such as bear-baiting and dancing.
The Globe Theatre was destroyed by fire on June 29, 1613, during the performance of Henry VIII. The fire started in the cannon firing effects, ignited the thatched roof and burned the theatre down in under an hour.
The Globe Theatre was rebuilt in 1614 and remained in use until it was closed by Parliament in 1642 due to the English Civil War. It was demolished in 1644.
In 1997, a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre was opened on the south bank of the River Thames, near the site of the original Globe.