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Discover the Catacombs of St Callistus: one of the first Christian cemeteries from the 3rd century

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Highlights

  • Discover Rome the smart way: One ticket – over 40 attractions, museums and guided tours included! 
  • Participation in this tour is included with your Rome City Pass
  • Book your preferred date in advance – you will receive all the information you need with your City Pass 
  • 30-minute guided tour of the catacombs (Italian, English, French, Spanish and German). 
  • Let yourself be transported back to ancient times on a tour of the catacombs in Rome 
  • Enjoy the transfer in an open-top bus 
  • Visit the extensive tunnels that once served as burial grounds and places of worship 
  • Learn about the fascinating history and stories of this sacred place from your tour guide  

Discover the underground burial site of the early Christians from the 3rd century

What awaits you on site

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With your Rome City Pass, you can experience one of the first Christian cemeteries from the 3rd century, the burial place of over 500,000 Christians, including 16 popes. The catacombs tour starts very centrally at Piazza Venezia in Rome. An open panoramic bus takes you comfortably to the catacombs. 

The catacombs were used by early Christians from the 3rd century AD. They served as a burial place and place of worship for the first Christians in Rome. An expert guide will lead you through the chambers, which were carved directly into the rock. This tour takes you to some of the most unusual, mysterious and unusual places that the Eternal City has to offer. 

Discover the Callistus Catacombs, which offer an extraordinary insight into the history of Rome. Your expert tour guide will tell you how this extensive network of underground passages, dating back almost 2,000 years to the 2nd century AD, once served as a burial ground and place of worship for the first Christians in Rome. 

Attention: on Wednesdays we go to the Domitilla Catacombs

On Wednesdays, the excursion into Rome’s underground visits the Domitilla Catacombs. The Domitilla Catacombs stretch over 17 kilometres on four levels underground. When the Christian martyrs Nereo and Achilleo were buried underground in the catacombs, a majestic chapel was built around their tombs during the pontificate of Pope Siricius (384-399), with a forecourt divided by colonnaded aisles. Another highlight is the hypogeum of Flavi. From the 3rd century onwards, the tombs were painted with biblical scenes – although the original, older painting was of a pagan nature. The Domitilla Catacomb is the only one of the publicly accessible catacombs in Rome that has an underground basilica that is open to pilgrims. This basilica was built towards the end of the fourth century under the pontificate of Pope Damasus I (366-384 AD) and is dedicated to St Petronilla, who was buried underground next to the tombs of the martyrs Nereo and Achilleo.

How to get there

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Meeting point: TOURISTATION PIAZZA VENEZIA: Piazza D’Ara Coeli 16, 00186 Rome 

Good to know

  • Daily
    Thu to Tue: Callistus Catacombs, Wed: Domitilla Catacombs
    Summer: 9.30/10.30/1.30/14.30 (18 March 2024 – 29 October 2024)
    Winter: 9.30/10.30/1.30 (2 January 2024 – 17 March 2024 and 30 October – 31 December 2024) 
  • The tour takes about 2 hours.
  • Please note that there are no tours on 25 December, 1 January and Easter Sunday 
  • Languages: English, Italian, Spanish, French, German. 

Participation in this tour is included with your Rome City Pass


 

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