Vatican Necropolis, Archaeological necropolis beneath St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
The Vatican Necropolis is an archaeological burial site beneath St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, stretching across several underground levels. The site includes narrow passageways between brick tombs and larger mausoleums, whose walls still carry frescoes and mosaic work from Roman imperial times.
The tombs began appearing in the first century, when wealthy Roman families buried their dead along an ancient road on Vatican Hill. In the fourth century, Constantine had parts of the site filled in to build the first basilica above.
Burial chambers display wall paintings mixing Christian symbols with pagan motifs, as families of different faiths shared the same underground space. Inscriptions often carry Greek and Latin names, showing the multicultural makeup of the community at the time.
Visits are only possible with a guided tour and must be booked several weeks in advance through the Vatican Excavations Office. Groups remain small to protect the delicate structures, and the route passes through narrow and sometimes low passageways.
Archaeologists found more than twenty burial structures, some capable of holding up to a thousand burials. A small chamber carries graffiti from the second century, left by pilgrims honoring the suspected tomb of the apostle.
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