THE CATACOMBS OF CALICTUS, Rome

these christian catacombs were only discovered in 1844 on the appian way - rome’s ancient road into the city - where the early christians lived, worshipped, died and were buried
- there are 60+ catacombs in total in subterranean areas on the outskirts of rome with thousands of tombs (no burials were allowed inside the city walls at this time)
- in the 4c these became shrines to the christian martyrs and centres for devotion and pilgrimage
- there is a labyrinth of tunnels covering many miles - like corridors with shelving running along either side having a niche cut into the stonework - each just big enough to take a corpse wrapped simply in a shroud
... it reminded me of being in a submarine with bunk beds along each wall and a narrow walkway inbetween
- sometimes they are carved with names or initials of the occupant/family and sometimes with a drawing of a fish which was the early christian symbol
- closed wednesdays (plus couple of weeks in winter for restoration)
- opening hours 9:00 - 12:00 & 14:00 - 17.00
(not recommended for the claustrophobic - but nice and cool in hot summer)