Catacombs of Rome

Burial site of the early Christians

Noteworthy for: The catacombs of San Callisto are amongst the oldest, and are the longest (12 miles of tunnels) catacombs of Rome.
Beneath the city of Rome are the ancient catacombs, the underground burial places that began in the second century AD to solve an overcrowding problem. At that time the Pagan religion celebrated death with cremation, but this was unacceptable to the early Christians. However, a law banned burials within the city walls so they created subterranean cemeteries just outside of them.

The popular perception that the catacombs came about so that Christians could bury their dead in secret has been debunked by many scholars. One of the reasons is that they were situated along major highways, so they wouldn't have remained hidden for long.
There are many catacombs under Rome, and a few are open to the public, the most famous being those under the Appian Way, particularly San Callisto. Here you can explore the extensive musty smelling underground tunnels, and see examples of early Christian artwork.