Catacomba maggiore

The Catacomba Maggiore is an underground burial site in Via Nomentana consisting of tunnels carved through multiple levels extending nearly 200 meters below street level. Stone chairs and funeral tables fashioned from tufa rock are scattered throughout the passages where mourners held memorial gatherings for the deceased.

The site first appears in written records in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum from the mid-5th century, which documented martyrs buried here. This early reference confirms the cemetery was already established as an important burial ground for the Christian community.

The frescoes adorning the walls depict Christian scenes from the 4th century, including an early image of the Madonna near Saint Emerentiana's tomb. These paintings show how the people who came here understood their faith and remembered their dead.

Visitors navigate the underground by descending stairs and walking through narrow passages lit by electric lights installed for safety. Wear comfortable walking shoes and be prepared for uneven surfaces and confined spaces when touring the site.

Inside the catacombs sits a 3rd-century sarcophagus originally carved with pagan hunting scenes but later reused by Christians for burials. This object reveals how people adapted existing materials to fit their religious practices.