Catacomb of St. Callixtus and Appian Way: Guided Tour – Lazio, Italy

EXPERIENCE:

Traveling by bus and on foot, this 3-hour guided tour takes you beyond the city walls of Rome, through the ancient tunnels of the city’s catacombs. You will travel along the rustic Appian Way, and under the arches of the aqueducts of antiquity.

Constructed nearly 2,000 years ago as the burial chambers for early Christians, the catacombs reveal burial niches, mosaics, and sarcophagi, as well as ancient religious drawings While in San Callisto, explore the Crypt of the Popes, and view some of the very earliest Christian art.

As Christianity became more popular in Rome, it became necessary to find a system for the burial of large of numbers of people, the majority of whom lacked money to pay for elaborate tombs and mausoleums. The solution was found in the friable tufa rock around the city.

From the 2nd through to the 5th-Centuries, 60 catacomb complexes were dug, each occupying several layers, and 2 of which were designated for Jews. Out of the total number of catacombs, 5 of the Christian complexes regularly open to the public, giving you a unique perspective on Ancient Rome, in an environment that you will never see in the city center.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

Explore some of the ancient catacombs built to house the dead of Rome, including the Catacombs of St. Callixtus
View the exterior of the Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella
Walk a portion of the old Appian Way and admire the ancient Roman aqueducts
See some of the earliest examples of Christian art

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