THE CATACOMBS

Rome hides countless treasures that you can easily discover. One of the most mysterious and spiritually charged places is the city's ancient cemeteries.

In their long underground galleries, we can contemplate the oldest and most authentic representations of Christian religious art, a marvel that is still preserved and that we must safeguard for the future.

According to tradition, the catacombs served as a refuge and protection against the fierce religious persecutions that lasted for more than three centuries, from the reign of Emperor Claudius to Diocletian.

In these secret places, the first Christians gathered to celebrate baptism, the Eucharist, and other rituals, and here the faithful were buried awaiting the imminent arrival of Christ, which would mark the end of time and the resurrection of the dead from their tombs.

For this joyous and crucial event, it was necessary that the tombs be gathered in one place, and almost all of them were located around the shrine of a martyr who died steadfastly defending their faith.

Discover these fascinating underground structures of Rome, their history, and the mysteries and legends they hold with our comprehensive, easy-to-understand, and detailed guide, which includes the most important Christian catacombs and pagan necropolises.