Catacomb of Priscilla, Early Christian burial network in Via Salaria, Rome, Italy
The Catacomb of Priscilla is an early Christian burial network beneath Via Salaria in northern Rome, consisting of a roughly 13 kilometer system of passages and around 40,000 burial chambers. The rooms were cut directly into the soft tuff rock and lie on several levels one above another, with narrow corridors alternating with larger chapels.
A Roman noblewoman named Priscilla provided her land for burials, and from the late second century until into the fourth century the site was used by Christian communities. Seven early popes found their final resting place here, making the location an important reference point for the growing church.
The Greek Chapel shows wall paintings from the third century with biblical scenes and stands as one of the earliest examples of Christian art in Rome. Visitors see here also depictions from the Old Testament alongside symbols like fish and anchors, which expressed faith at that time.
Visits are only possible as part of guided tours and last about half an hour, with sturdy footwear recommended because of the uneven floors. The temperature underground remains at around 12 to 14 degrees Celsius (53 to 57 Fahrenheit) throughout the year, so visitors should bring a jacket.
The vault is sometimes called Queen of the Catacombs because many martyrs were buried here and the site gained special meaning due to the artful frescoes and the high number of early church dignitaries. Some of the tomb inscriptions contain Greek letters, pointing to the international composition of the early community.
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