The Eternal City of Rome is filled with history and great legends and mysteries and today we’re here to talk about something you may have never heard of: the Roman Catacombs! Mainly used by Christians and Jews, the Roman Catacombs used to be underground passageways where people would get buried from the second to the fifth century.
Let’s find out more about the Roman Catacombs!
The history of Roman Catacombs
The Roman Catacombs were built because the Christian religions did not allow for bodies to be cremated after their death like the Pagans. Because of this, they needed to create places where these bodies could be put and they chose to build these burial grounds.
The reason behind the name “Catacombs” is that the first excavations were done next to a quarry right outside the city of Rome. The word “catacomb” means “next to the quarry”!
The Roman Catacombs extend for many kilometers and present some rectangular niches where the corpses were put, wrapped in sheets and then covered with marble or baked clay gravestones where their name was carved. Since it was forbidden by the law to bury the dead inside the city, these passageways were located just outside the city walls.
These catacombs were built so that the Christians could have a safe, hidden place and they were used up until the 5th century even though the persecution of Christians ended in 313 with the Edict of Milan.
The five open Roman Catacombs you can visit today
If you’re interested in visiting the city of Rome and its infamous catacombs, you should know that even though there are circa 40 catacombs in Rome, only five of them are open for the public to visit. Here’s a list of their names:
- CATACOMBS OF DOMITILLA: Located in Via delle Sette Chiese, this passageway is over 15 kilometers long and it was discovered in the XVI century. Its name comes from Vespasian’s granddaughter;
- CATACOMBS OF SAN SEBASTIANO: Located in Via Appia Antica and built in honor of San Sebastiano, a Christian martyr, they’re probably the most popular catacombs in Rome;
- CATACOMBS OF SANT’AGNESE: Located in Via Nomentana, these catacombs were built to honor Sant’Agnese, a Christian martyr;
- CATACOMBS OF SAN CALLISTO: Located in Via Appia Antica, they’re over 20 kilometers long, they’re the burial place of 16 popes and many Christian martyrs;
- CATACOMBS OF PRISCILLA: Located in Via Salaria, these catacombs are quite popular for their frescoes, figuring some of the earliest representations of the Virgin Mary;
Why booking a tour to visit Roman Catacombs
Visiting the Roman Catacombs is definitely an unforgettable experience. Even though it is possible to access the catacombs on your own, we highly suggest you book a tour so that you can fully experience and understand the history of what you’ll be looking at. If you want to get to know more, check out our website!
