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Everything You Need to Know about the Roman Catacombs

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Alexander Meddings
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Rome is a city of secrets, not all of which are above ground.

The Eternal City is a lasagne of layers - ancient, medieval and modern, each built on top of another, concealing but preserving the past. And while most travellers limit their itinerary to Rome's ground-level attractions, like the Colosseum, Vatican, and the must-see highlights of the historic centre, Underground Rome is worth a trip in its own right.

Most travellers who venture beneath the Italian capital do so to explore the Roman Catacombs. And there's no shortage of visitable catacombs to choose from. Situated just south of the city's ancient walls, in the vicinity of the Old Appian Way, are the Catacombs of San Sebastiano, San Callisto, and San Domitilla — as well as the 'Jewish' catacombs of Vigna Randanini.

Which of these catacombs are most worth visiting? How do you get there? And what's the best way to visit?

Here are some fascinating details about one of Rome’s most famous destinations.

A Short Introduction to Rome's Catacombs

Rome’s catacombs date back as early as the 2nd century BC, and at least 40 catacombs are believed to run beneath, or around, the modern city - many of which have only recently been discovered.

These catacombs are mostly excavated from the local tuff, or volcanic rock. And while these burial places are predominantly Christian, we also have pagan catacombs and Jewish Catacombs of Vigna Randanini.

Why did the Romans build catacombs?

Burial was forbidden within Rome’s city walls unless you were fortunate (or sometimes unfortunate) enough to be a Caesar. And as the vast majority of Rome’s sizable population bore no relation to the imperial family, the Romans needed somewhere to bury their dead.

The custom of burying the dead underground originated with Rome’s forebears, the Etruscans.

Outside the walls of their cities (polis, in ancient Greek), the Etruscans would construct a necropolis (literally meaning city of the dead).  The best example of a necropolis near Rome is Cerveteri - a UNESCO site comprising thousands of tombs and burial mounds which date back to the 9th century BC.

The tumulus burial mounds of Cerveteri. Photo credit: UNESCO

The tumulus burial mounds of Cerveteri. Photo credit: UNESCO

Do visit Cerveteri if you get a chance. But if you’re pushed for time, a trip to Rome's catacombs is better.

The Romans continued the Etruscan custom of burying their dead underground, but introduced cremation and placed the ashes into pots or urns in a columbarium—an underground version of a mausoleum.

Inhumation (a fancy word for burial) became more fashionable towards the end of the 2nd century AD. And so graves and sarcophagi, ranging from simple to elaborate depending on the wealth of the deceased, became commonplace.

Origin of the Word "Catacomb"

We derive our word catacomb from the burial places along Rome’s Via Appia Antica (Old Appian Way). The compound comes from two ancient Greek words, katà and kymbe, meaning ‘close to the quarry’, and translated into Latin as catacumbas.

Why close to the quarry?

Because before being used as a place of burial, Rome’s first catacombs were a quarry from which the Romans extracted pozzolana (volcanic ash) which mixed with water to form cement. 

The Discovery of Rome's Catacombs

Rome’s catacombs were discovered accidentally in the 16th century by an inquisitive 18-year-old named Antonio Bosi.

This pioneering Columbus of Rome’s catacombs published his research in the concisely named book Roma Sotterranea, opera postuma di Antonio Bosio Romano, antiquario ecclesiastico singolare de’ suoi tempi. Compita, disposta, et accresciuta dal M. R. P. Giovanni Severani da S. Severino (or ‘Roma Sotterranea’ for short).

Admittedly we haven’t read it; if the title is that wordy, imagine the actual text.

But we guarantee that our three-hour catacombs tour is far more concise, considerably more fun, and, best of all, not in technical 16th-century Italian!

Visiting Rome's Catacombs

Several catacombs line Rome's Via Appia. The three most impressive Christian catacombs are those of San Sebastiano, San Callisto, and Domitilla.

The Catacombs of San Sebastiano were the first, home to the remains of two key Saints of the Christian faith, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, as well as the body of the eponymous Saint Sebastian.

→ Book your visit to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano

The Catacombs of Domitilla are particularly worth visiting, and are unique as they are named not after a saint but after an aristocratic woman.

Flavia Domitilla was the granddaughter of the emperor Vespasian (the man responsible for building the Colosseum) and niece of the emperor Domitian (the man responsible for undoing all of Vespasian's good work). The Domitilla Catacombs are the most interesting in Rome, and is these that we visit on our Roman Catacombs Tour.

→ Venture Underground on a Catacombs Tour

Photo from inside Rome’s Catacombs of Domitilla

Photo from inside Rome’s Catacombs of Domitilla

The End Of the Catacombs

By around the year 380, Christianity was the state-backed religion, and as such, it took precedence over all others. Catacomb burials were slowly but surely declining, though, as burials began to take place within the grounds of the many Christian churches which appeared over the next few years.

Sadly, the fact that Catacombs were replaced with typical burial grounds as we see today meant that the Catacombs became a forgotten relic. Given that they were often such a secret, too, revealing their existence to such a large degree might have caused more than a few headaches for those at the top of Roman religious organizations.

Many of these sites were home to the dead of the rich and the famous of the era. As such, their burial grounds became common targeting points for grave robbers and those of low moral fiber. This has seen many of the Catacombs robbed and ransacked, as people stealing them looked to find valuable possessions that they could claim, fence, or otherwise use to their advantage.

The Catacombs, then, became something that was mostly forgotten about. While they were once a critical part of the underground makeup of Rome, the rise of Christianity as the state religion meant they were replaced by the more typical burials that we see today within the grounds of a church. This forgotten nature meant that they became commonly accessed areas of interest for those looking to find riches among the long-dead.

The Catacombs as Places of Worship

To some, this can seem quite strange, but the Roman Catacombs were once a place of intense religious worship.

During the 3rd Century, it was commonplace for people to worship within the Catacombs. They would worship at home normally, but as Christianity grew in number, there was a need to find places of worship where people could congregate. Without the same density of churches, the Roman Catacombs became a common place to visit for people looking to take in some worship.

You can find many spaces within the Roman Catacombs during tours used by individuals to pray. Praying among the dead was seen by some as a cathartic exercise, while others used this means of worship as it was better than not having a place to pray. Despite the presence of so much death, many found a new lease of life within their worship, taking place within the Catacombs themselves.

More than just Memorials

Most assume that within the Roman Catacombs, there is nothing more than the remembrance of those who came before us. This, though, is not the case: the Roman Catacombs are also home to many stunning pieces of rupestral artwork, just waiting to be discovered on our Roman Catacombs Tour.

The most common forms of artwork you will find tell the story of the catacombs through the people who were laid to rest there. Given that their presence was to help provide a place for the dead to rest, many of the artworks here revolve around things like salvation and resurrection. Indeed, many pieces of artwork here depict ancient tales from within the Bible, such as Jonah being saved from the whale’s belly.

Fresco of the Good Shepherd in the Catacombs of Domitilla

Fresco of the Good Shepherd in the Catacombs of Domitilla

Getting to the Roman Catacombs

The closest metro station to the Roman Catacombs is Garbatella (Metro B line).

From here, it's a 25-minute walk along Circonvallazione Ostiense to the Appia Antica Info Center, where they'll direct you to the catacombs and offer the opportunity to rent bikes or take a tour!

Alternatively, there's the 118 bus that takes you directly from the city centre to the Info Centre.

Classic black and white photo inspired by Roman Holiday, showing a couple on a Vespa scooter in Rome, relevant for Vespa tours

Getting Around Rome: What You Need to Know

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ByAlexander Meddings
4/29/2025

Rome is one of the most stunning cities in the world, and its catacombs are just another part of its unique history and story. If you want to see everything Rome has to offer, explore with Carpe Diem Tours. We also cover some of the best cities in Europe, from Florence and Lisbon to Budapest.

Join us in a unique adventure around some of the most important cities in Europe!

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Alexander Meddings
Check iconVerified Writer
Alexander Meddings is a professional copywriter and postgraduate in Roman history from the University of Oxford. After graduating with his MPhil, he moved to Florence and then Rome to carry out his research on the ground and pursue his passion at the source. He now works in travel, as a writer and content consultant, and in education as a university lecturer and translator.
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