In this article, we take a look at Rome Catacombs. This is a very unusual and unique place. You can expect an unusual visit.
We’ve often talked about culture, the most mystical and fascinating aspect of the Italian capital, but we’ve never delved too deeply into this subject. We’ll try to shed some light on Rome’s most beautiful catacombs. It’s likely, however, that an entire vacation wouldn’t be enough to explore them all.
Let’s talk about the most beautiful catacombs in the world, but we need to make a selection to choose what’s really worth seeing on a tourist trip to beautiful Rome.
The criterion of beauty, as you know, is subjective. In fact, a visit to the Roman catacombs also depends very much on the subject and therefore on the visitor.
If you’re also one of those travelers fascinated by archaeology, then this is the place for you. Perhaps you’ve already caught a glimpse of the catacombs in Assassin’s Creed (Brotherhood Catacombs of Rome), if you’re more curious; this article is perfect for you.
What’s more, in our post you’ll discover 3 of Rome’s most beautiful catacombs, notably for their size, the miles they stretch over and their mystery.
Of course, there’s no shortage of historical context!
The very word “catacombs” means “near the quarry”. The first burials actually took place on the territory of the Roman city, near a quarry.
We can define them as underground tunnels that have been used for centuries as burial grounds. These structures were built between the 2nd and 5th centuries. They housed pagans, Jews and, later, the first Christians.
The latter – it has to be said – did not appreciate the pagan-Nordic tradition of cremating the bodies of the deceased. The idea was to solve the problem of lack of space and, above all, the cost of land. The decision was therefore taken to build large underground cemeteries.
The catacombs featured marvellously large labyrinths several kilometers long and numerous rectangular niches. Historically and from finds, we know that the corpses of the deceased were wrapped in sheets, placed in niches and closed with marble tombstones, often with clay.
The name of the deceased was placed on the slab along with a Christian symbol.
It should also be pointed out that Roman law at the time forbade burial in Rome, so all catacombs had to be built outside the city gates.
They were used by Christians until the 5th century. Later, during the barbarian invasions of the 8th century, the catacombs were plundered and the popes chose to transfer the relics to city churches.
Many catacombs have been abandoned and forgotten over the centuries.
Prices for a visit to the catacombs vary greatly depending on whether you request one or more combined services, such as guided tours.
Tickets for Rome’s catacombs generally range from 10 to 20 euros. see all offers here:
Historically, there are over 60 catacombs in Rome, with no less than 100 km of underground tunnels, but only 5 of them are open to the public. We remind you that for guided tours you can obtain: visite catacombes Rome en français.
These 12 km-long catacombs are named after Saint Sebastian, a soldier who was martyred for choosing Christianity as his religion. Along with the San Callisto catacombs, they are the best open catacombs to visit in Rome.
Inside the tombs, they were dug out of tuff and pozzolan for ease of work and great strength, to provide tunnels and lodges of various sizes and on different levels.
Some of the rooms in the catacombs of Saint Sebastian’s are decorated and housed tombs of Christian martyrs in the Middle Ages, attracting the devotion of many pilgrims. Among the many martyrs are St. Sebastian and Eutychius.
Opening hours for visits to the Catacombs of St Sebastian are :
Tickets cost 13.00 euros for a 30-minute visit. Reduced tickets cost 10 euros (for children aged 7 to 16). For younger visitors, admission is free.
Here you’ll find over 20 km of underground tunnels, a rich and interesting experience. The tombs of St. Callistus have been the burial place of 16 popes and numerous Christian martyrs. They are named after the deacon St. Callistus, who was entrusted by Pope Zeffirinus with the administration of the cemetery itself. Considered the official cemetery of the Roman Church in the 3rd century, some one million Christians were buried here. Since 1930, the cemetery has been managed by the Salesians of Don Bosco.
Opening hours for visits to the Catacombs of San Callisto are :
Tickets cost 10.00 euros for a full ticket, 7 euros for a reduced ticket for children aged 7 to 16 and free for children.
These catacombs are very important for art history, as many frescoes can be seen inside, such as the first representations of the Virgin Mary. They are also known as the ‘regina catacumbarum’, excavated between the 2nd and 5th centuries. We find a sandstone, a crptoportico and the hypogeum with the tombs of the Acili Glabrioni. They bear the name of this family, to which the noble Priscilla belonged.
Opening hours :
Tickets cost 10 euros, with a 7-euro discount for children under 7.
There are other catacombs worth visiting: the Domitilla catacombs, in Via delle Sette Chiese, 280, named after Vespasian’s niece; the Sant’Agnese catacombs, in Via Nomentana, 349, famous for the burial of Sant’Agnese.
The best way to visit the catacombs we’ve mentioned is certainly a guided tour. With a group, the price is generally affordable and you can request assistance in several languages, including French.
The easiest way to get to the Catacombs is by public bus. We recommend using lines 118 and 218, which take you to San Callisto and San Sebastiano, and for the other Catacombs, line 218, to which you can add line 716.
We strongly advise against taking a cab, as it’s in a rather complicated area for the return journey.