Catacombe di San Callisto

Catacombs of San Callisto

Popes' Catacombs

Description

The catacombs of San Callisto, known for more than two centuries as the Church of Rome's cemetery, contain the tombs of nine popes buried in the Crypt. They extend over approximately 20km on four floors. Strangely enough, the tomb of Callisto I, martyred in 200 while celebrating a mass in Trastevere, is not to be found here. The most visited sites are obviously the papal 'crypt' and Santa Cecilia's sepulchre. These places were accidentally discovered by the scholar Giovanni Battista de Rossi, who entered a vineyard and noticed two unusual structures; one was converted into a farmhouse and the other was used as a wine shop and contained bottles of wine. Acquiring the land with the consent of Pope Pius IX and starting excavations, he found some relics, which led to the final discovery of the entire complex. Admission is EUR5.