Rome - Catacombs of St Calixtus Catacombe di San Callisto

The Catacombs of St Calixtus were called by Pope John XXIII "the sublimest and most famous in Rome". These underground burial places in the Via Appia Antica extend over an area of 300x400m/330x440yd, with an intricate network of passages and chambers hewn from the soft Roman tufa on four levels. Some 20km/12.5mi of passages have so far been explored, and the total number of burials is estimated at around 170,000. In six sacramental chapels, constructed between A.D. 290 and 310, are both pagan and early Christian wall paintings.

In the "Papal Crypt", to which visitors descend by a flight of 35 steps, are the tombs of most of the martyred Popes of the third century identified by Greek inscriptions (Urban I, Pontius, Antherus, Fabian, Lucius, Eutychianus). To the left of the Papal Crypt is the tomb of St Cecilia, with wall paintings; the saint's remains are now in the church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. Also of interest are tombs of Pope Eusebius (309-311) and Pope Cornelius (251-253) and Lucina crypt with wall paintings dating from second century.