place

Catacombs of Rome

Ancient Roman tombs and cemeteries in RomeBurial monuments and structuresCatacombs of RomeCemeteries in ItalyChristian buildings and structures in the Roman Empire
Papal tombs
Eucharistic bread
Eucharistic bread

The Catacombs of Rome (Italian: Catacombe di Roma) are ancient catacombs, underground burial places in and around Rome, of which there are at least forty, some rediscovered only in recent decades. Though most famous for Christian burials, either in separate catacombs or mixed together, Jews and also adherents of a variety of pagan Roman religions were buried in catacombs, beginning in the 2nd century AD, occasioned by the ancient Roman ban on burials within a city, and also as a response to overcrowding and shortage of land. The most extensive and perhaps the best known is the Christian Catacomb of Callixtus located near the Park of the Caffarella, but there are other sites, both Christian and not, scattered around the city, some of which are now engulfed by modern urban sprawl. The Christian catacombs are extremely important for the history of Early Christian art, as they contain the great majority of examples from before about 400 AD, in fresco and sculpture, as well as gold glass medallions (these, like most bodies, have been removed). The Jewish catacombs are similarly important for the study of Jewish culture at this early period.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Catacombs of Rome (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Catacombs of Rome
Viale del Monte Oppio, Rome Municipio Roma I

Geographical coordinates (GPS) Address Website Nearby Places
placeShow on map

Wikipedia: Catacombs of RomeContinue reading on Wikipedia

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 41.894444444444 ° E 12.498333333333 °
placeShow on map

Address

Basilica di San Martino ai Monti (Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti)

Viale del Monte Oppio 28
00185 Rome, Municipio Roma I
Lazio, Italy
mapOpen on Google Maps

Website
sanmartinoaimonti.it

linkVisit website

Eucharistic bread
Eucharistic bread
Share experience

Nearby Places

Oppian Hill
Oppian Hill

The Oppian Hill (Latin, Oppius Mons; Italian: Colle Oppio) is the southern spur of the Esquiline Hill, one of the Seven Hills of Rome, Italy. It is separated from the Cispius on the north by the valley of the Suburra, and from the Caelian Hill on the south by the valley of the Colosseum. The Oppius and the Cispius together form the Esquiline plateau just inside the line of the Servian Wall. In the divisions of the Septimontium (seven hills) Fagutal appears as an independent locality, which implies that originally "Oppius" was strictly applied to this spur except the western end. The northern tip of this western end was also called Carinae, which extended between the Velian Hill and the Clivus Pullius, looked out to the southwest (across the swamps of the Palus Ceroliae towards the Aventine), incorporated the Fagutal and was one of ancient Rome's most exclusive neighborhoods. At least for religious purposes the name Oppius continued in use to the end of the republic; no later instance has been found. According to Varro its name derives from Oppius, a citizen of Tusculum who came to the Romans' assistance during Tullus Hostilius's siege of Veii. However, the word's true etymology is obscure. It may possibly be that of a clan that lived in this area, a gens name of plebeian status. Detlefsen's conjecture that Oppius is derived from Oppidus was revived by Pinza, who regards the name as comparatively late. The Oppian Hill Park (Italian: Parco del Colle Oppio) covers about eleven hectares. It was developed in 1871, as part of the urban reorganization that followed the establishment of Rome as the capital of Italy. From that time the area was used as a public garden. But it was during the fascist era when work was carried out to give the park its present appearance. This was planned in 1928 under the guidance of the architect Raffaele De Vico, and completed in 1936. Work included the fountains, statues and marble sculptures that decorate the park today. A central avenue leads down the hill to the Colosseum, providing an attractive view. The Oppian Hill Park is considered to be an archaeological park. Much of the Domus Aurea (Golden House of Nero) lies under it, and it also contains the ruins of the Baths of Trajan and the earlier Baths of Titus.