Catacombs of Domitilla

Rome, Italy

Close to the Catacombs of San Callisto are the large and impressive Catacombs of Domitilla (named after Saint Domitilla), spread over 15 kilometres of underground caves.

The Domitilla Catacombs are unique in that they are the oldest of Rome's underground burial networks, and the only ones to still contain bones. They are also the best preserved and one of the most extensive of all the catacombs. Included in their passages are a 2nd-century fresco of the Last Supper and other valuable artifacts. There are almost 150,000 bodies buried in the Catacombs of St. Domitilla.

They are the only catacombs that have a subterranean basilica; entrance to the catacombs is achieved through this sunken 4th-century church, at via delle Sette Chiese 282. In the past, the basilica had become unsafe, and was abandoned in the 9th century. It was rediscovered in 1593, and much of it was reconstructed in 1872.

References:

Comments

Your name


Address

Via delle Sette Chiese 280, Rome, Italy
See all sites in Rome

Details

Founded: 2nd century AD
Category: Cemeteries, mausoleums and burial places in Italy

More Information

www.domitilla.info

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Colosseum (3,6 km)
Sistine Chapel (6,4 km)
Arch of Constantine (3,6 km)
St. Peter's Basilica (6,4 km)
Basilica of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli (4,3 km)
Altare della Patria (4,4 km)
St. Peter's Square (6,2 km)
Pantheon (5 km)
Vatican Historical Museum (6,7 km)


Villa d'Este (26,7 km)

User Reviews

Josiah Brunette (2 years ago)
Excellent and very knowledgeable tour guide. Few things to be prepared for the catacombs are a bit brisk, a light jacket is recommended. The catacombs are dark, rocky, small, and narrow. So watch your step. Our tour guide did a very good job at looking out for our group and catering to the needs of the group. Enjoy!
Alice (2 years ago)
Good but limited. I went here as part of the City Wonders guided tours and the place was awe inspiring. I’m not sure why there is no photography allowed in this place - it seems much more historical than spiritual, especially with all of the bodies long since removed. All though the place is massive there are only a limited number of corridors that tourists can go through, which is bad because your sense of the size of the place is limited, but good because I’m sure if they let people wander through the entire place they would a) get hopelessly lost and b) vandalize and destroy what is left.
Kelly (2 years ago)
Good but limited. I went here as part of the City Wonders guided tours and the place was awe inspiring. I’m not sure why there is no photography allowed in this place - it seems much more historical than spiritual, especially with all of the bodies long since removed. All though the place is massive there are only a limited number of corridors that tourists can go through, which is bad because your sense of the size of the place is limited, but good because I’m sure if they let people wander through the entire place they would a) get hopelessly lost and b) vandalize and destroy what is left.
Elizabeth Gill (2 years ago)
They have some well preserved frescos and an ornate, beautiful, underground basilica. Our guide did not speak English very well but was able to answer our questions and provide some information. No pictures are allowed inside. The tour costs €8 and they have tours in several languages.
suricatu razvan (2 years ago)
They don t allow photos "out of respect for the dead" even though almost all tombs are empty. Just a trick to make the crowd keep moving. Also, they boast 14 km of tunnels but walk you around for 50 meters in circles. For 8 euro it s not worth it. Maybe if you re really really curious to see where regular people were buried
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Rhodes, The Island of Knights
Photo from Flickr, copyright Ana Paula Hirama

Historic Site of the week

Holy Trinity Column

The Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc is a Baroque monument built in 1716–1754 in honour of God. The main purpose was a spectacular celebration of Catholic Church and faith, partly caused by feeling of gratitude for ending a plague, which struck Moravia between 1713 and 1715. The column was also understood to be an expression of local patriotism, since all artists and master craftsmen working on this monument were Olomouc citizens, and almost all depicted saints were connected with the city of Olomouc in some way. The column is the biggest Baroque sculptural group in the Czech Republic. In 2000 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.

The column is dominated by gilded copper sculptures of the Holy Trinity accompanied by the Archangel Gabriel on the top and the Assumption of the Virgin beneath it.

The base of the column, in three levels, is surrounded by 18 more stone sculptures of saints and 14 reliefs in elaborate cartouches. At the uppermost stage are saints connected with Jesus’ earth life – his mother’s parents St. Anne and St. Joachim, his foster-father St. Joseph, and St. John the Baptist, who was preparing his coming – who are accompanied by St. Lawrence and St. Jerome, saints to whom the chapel in the Olomouc town hall was dedicated. Three reliefs represent the Three theological virtues Faith, Hope, and Love.

Below them, the second stage is dedicated to Moravian saints St. Cyril and St. Methodius, who came to Great Moravia to spread Christianity in 863, St. Blaise, in whose name one of the main Olomouc churches is consecrated, and patrons of neighbouring Bohemia St. Adalbert of Prague and St. John of Nepomuk, whose following was very strong there as well.

In the lowest stage one can see the figures of an Austrian patron St. Maurice and a Bohemian patron St. Wenceslas, in whose names two important Olomouc churches were consecrated, another Austrian patron St. Florian, who was also viewed as a protector against various disasters, especially fire, St. John of Capistrano, who used to preach in Olomouc, St. Anthony of Padua, a member of the Franciscan Order, which owned an important monastery in Olomouc, and St. Aloysius Gonzaga, a patron of students. His sculpture showed that Olomouc was very proud of its university. Reliefs of all twelve apostles are placed among these sculptures.

The column also houses a small chapel inside with reliefs depicting Cain's offering from his crop, Abel's offering of firstlings of his flock, Noah's first burnt offering after the Flood, Abraham's offering of Isaac and of a lamb, and Jesus' death. The cities of Jerusalem and Olomouc can be seen in the background of the last mentioned relief.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2021 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.