Catacombe dei Santi Marcellino e Pietro

Useful Information

Location:	Via Casilina, 641, 00177 Roma RM. (41.8786961, 12.5486030)
Open:	All year Mon-Wed, Fri-Sun 10-13, 15-18. Closed 01-AUG to 15-AUG, 01-SEP to 15-SEP. Online reservation mandatory. [2026]
Fee:	Adults EUR 13, Children (7-16) EUR 10, Children (0-6) free, Students (-25) EUR 10, Disabled free. [2026]
Classification:	Catacomb Roman Catacombs
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:
Guided tours:	D=45 min, Max=25.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Catacombe dei Santi Marcellino e Pietro, Via Casilina, 641, 00177 Roma RM, Tel: +39-339-652-8887. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

2004 to 2010	excavated.
2014	opened to the public.

Description

The Catacombe dei Santi Marcellino e Pietro (Catacombs of Saints Marcellinus and Peter) are famous for an early Christian wall painting which is one of most detailed and biggest. The funerary use of the underground by Christians started from several autonomous hypogea, each served by an access stairway, which over time expanded, until they merged with each other. The result is the largest underground cemetery in the Roman suburbs, like all the other largest catacombs. The site grew under the principate of Gallienus (260-268) and for nearly fifty years, relations between the civil authorities and the Christian community improved. The Christian catacombs consist of long tunnels (cryptae) tombs were carved out on the walls. Tombs surmounted by an arch were called arcosolia or arcisolia. The tombs were covered by marble or brick slabs, fixed with mortar, which had the name of the deceased engraved. Cubicles (cubicula) were reserved for families or associations and are richly decorated with frescoes. There are 88 painted rooms in the catacomb which are the main attraction for visitors.

This site has numerous surface structures which were built during the Constantinian era. Massive construction projects undertaken by Emperor Constantine himself significantly altered this part of the suburbs. This included the construction of the mausoleum dedicated to Augusta Helena and the large circular basilica. Numerous martyrs, victims of the great persecutions of the emperors Valerian and Diocletian as well as some martyrial groups, such as the Four Crowned, the Thirty and Forty Martyrs. The Martyrs included Marcellinus, Peter, Gorgonius and Tiburtius. The presence of martyr tombs made the site a pilgrimage destination from the 5th century, when it was no longer used as cemetery. This lasted until the 8th century, when the remains of the saints were relocated into urban churches for security reasons. The relics of the exorcist Peter and the priest Marcellinus were brought to Germany by Einhard, biographer of Charlemagne, during Carolingian rule. They were brought to a city, which was renamed Seligenstadt (city of Saints).

The catacombs are open all year but closed on Thursdays. Tours are offered in Italian and English, other languages are possible for groups booking at least one week in advance. Also, an additional fee may apply. The site is closed the first two weeks of August and September for maintenance. The tickets include catacombs and mausoleum.