Galerias Romanas da Rua da Prata, Roman archaeological cryptoporticus in Santa Maria Maior, Lisbon, Portugal.
The Galerias Romanas da Rua da Prata are underground vaulted corridors from Roman times running beneath the streets of Lisbon's historic center. The stone passages have curved ceilings that once supported the buildings constructed at street level above them.
The corridors were most likely built during the reign of Emperor Augustus, around the turn of the 1st century. They show how Roman engineers organized urban space by creating a solid underground base on which to build the city above.
Inscriptions carved into the walls name two Roman citizens, Marcus Afranius Euporio and Lucius Fabius Daphnus, who dedicated this place for public use. The street above has kept its name for centuries, a trace of the long trading history of this part of the city.
Entry is through a manhole in Rua da Conceicao, and visits are only possible as part of a guided group tour. The site floods regularly, so visits are seasonal and it is worth checking in advance whether a tour is running.
Before each visit, firefighters must pump out the water that has accumulated inside the galleries. This means that every visit depends directly on the work of the fire service, which is not something you find at many archaeological sites.
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