Roman Catacombs

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102 Reviews | Add review

Hours: Open daily 9am - noon and 2pm - 5pm
Admission: €8 - 14 per adult

ATTRACTION Keywords:
Holy Place, Photography, Catacomb

1:52 PM Sunday, May 19
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Catacombs are ancient underground cemeteries; the catacombs here in Rome were mainly used by Christians (and occasionally Jews) from the 2nd to the 5th centuries AD. At the time underground burial was popular due to the high price of land, and for the sense of community it gave. For persecuted Christians in pre-Christian Rome, underground burial meant they were free to worship their Biblical martyrs and prophets, and to display Biblical iconography (a big no-no in the Roman era).

Because burial within Rome's walls was forbidden by law, all of the city's catacombs are located on the outskirts of modern Rome, typically along major roadways (two ancient catacombs, for example, are located along the Appian Way).

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All Roman Catacombs Reviews

Review by TORAN S, March 2013
Doing what: Skip the Line: Crypts and Roman Catacombs Small Group Walking Tour

I had been staying in Rome for a few weeks and wanted to be more informed about it's history. This was a last-minute booking and I was glad I did! Our tour guide Louise was very knowledgeable and took the time to interact with everyone during the walking tour. She made sure any questions were addressed and we never felt rushed going through the catacombs and churches. I would recommend this tour to anyone, great job Dark Rome!

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Review by Stephen M, January 2013
Doing what: Skip the Line: Crypts and Roman Catacombs Small Group Walking Tour

A fantastic tour! Unfortunately one of the tours (maybe catacombs?) was unavailable at the time, but our guide Massimo was great! Gave us tips and places to check out around Rome and where we were staying and was a lot of fun and had a wealth of knowledge from an unbiased point of view.

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Review by Teri and Greg, November 2012
Doing what: Skip the Line: Crypts and Roman Catacombs Small Group Walking Tour

Loved all the three locations we visited. Very informative!!! Wished we could have shopped at the second stop but I think we were running short on time. I wish they offered more tours of the various Catacombs around the city, the history and the stories are just amazing!!!

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Practical Info

There are five major catacombs in Rome that are open to visitors. St Sebastian and St Callixtus catacombs are both on the Appian Way (via Appia Antica). The catacombs of St Agnes are on Via Nomentana, those of Priscilla are on via Salaria, and the catacombs of Domitilla are on via delle Sette Chiese.

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