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32-790: The Vatican Grottoes are not to be confused with the Vatican Necropolis , which is an ancient burial ground that dates back to the Roman times and lies at a lower level beneath the Grottoes and the Basilica. The origins of the Vatican Grottoes date back to the 16th century, specifically around 1590–1591, when they were constructed to support the floor of the Renaissance-era St. Peter's Basilica. The initial concept

64-497: A crown around the Apostle's tomb. The central space of the grottoes, encompassing the tombs of successive popes, resembles a lower basilica with three naves. The Vatican Grottoes house frescoes , mosaics , sculptures, and inscriptions, many of which are relics from the older version of St. Peter's Basilica. The grottoes served as a memorial space, preserving the last images and elements of the ancient basilica. The Grottoes contain

96-662: Is marked by a plaque in the ground. According to tradition, the Apostle Peter was martyred in the year 64 or 67 during the reign of Emperor Nero. Peter is said to be buried in the necropolis because of its proximity to the Circus of Nero where he was martyred. After the Edict of Milan the Emperor Constantine began construction of the first St. Peter's Church, also known as Old St. Peter's Basilica. At this time,

128-466: The Vatican City , at depths varying between 5–12 metres below Saint Peter's Basilica . The Vatican sponsored archaeological excavations (also known by their Italian name scavi ) under Saint Peter's in the years 1940–1949 which revealed parts of a necropolis dating to Imperial times. The work was undertaken at the request of Pope Pius XI who wished to be buried as close as possible to Peter

160-534: The Vatican hill . At the top of the circus that Caligula built, an Egyptian obelisk had been placed. The obelisk had been there since ancient times; in 1586 it was moved from its original place by Domenico Fontana on the orders of Pope Sixtus V when St. Peter's Square was added. The original location was just in front of the present-day Excavation Office ( Ufficio Scavi ) of the Fabbrica di San Pietro and

192-471: The relics of Saint Peter had been identified convincingly. Tours of the excavations can be arranged with the Excavations Office in advance; for conservation, the number of visitors is limited. The tour lasts about an hour. Circus of Nero The so-called Circus of Nero or Circus of Caligula was a circus in ancient Rome , located mostly in the present-day Vatican City . It

224-446: The A mausoleum was built. In later years, in rapid succession, the mausoleums B, C, D and E were built next to each other. The Mausoleum G is very likely from the same time as Mausoleum B, while Mausoleum F was probably created during the reign of Antoninus Pius (138–161 AD). These seven mausoleums were placed in a row, built as standalone buildings with different heights and forming an approximately 32-meter-long road. In later times,

256-640: The Apostle . It is also home to the Tomb of the Julii , which has been dated to the third or fourth century. The necropolis was not originally one of the Catacombs of Rome , but an open-air cemetery with tombs and mausolea . The Vatican Necropolis is not to be confused with the Vatican Grottoes , the latter of which resulted from the construction of St. Peter's Church and is located on the ground level of

288-699: The Chapel of the Salvatorello and the Chapel of the Madonna of Bocciata, adorned with hagiographic paintings by Giovanni Battista Ricci . In the 17th century, under Pope Urban VIII , four small oratories were created at the base of the pillars supporting the dome, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and decorated by artists like Agostino Ciampelli and Guidobaldi Abbatini . Over the years, several popes have contributed to their expansion and embellishment. Post mid-20th century, several chapels were added around

320-462: The Greek alphabet letters Φ (phi), Χ (chi) and Ψ (Psi). Later, Latin letters were used. The Mausoleum M had already been described in 1574, and Mausoleum O was discovered when it was unearthed during the construction of the foundation for the statue of Pope Pius VI . Mausoleums R and S were discovered when the southern part of the foundation for the canopy of Gian Lorenzo Bernini was created. First,

352-489: The Roman necropolis was still in use. This is known because a coin was found inside an urn dating from 318 AD. During this time, the necropolis was protected by law and was untouchable. However, Emperor Constantine I decided to build a basilica, which would be located just above the supposed grave of the Apostle Peter. To obtain the necessary amount of flat area for the planned construction, Emperor Constantine I excavated part of

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384-521: The area beyond the Tiber north of Trastevere was known as "Nero's meadows" until the end of the Middle Ages. The circus was also the site of St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s martyrdom. The circus was abandoned by the middle of the second century AD, when the area was partitioned and given in concession to private individuals for the construction of tombs in the necropolis . Old St. Peter's Basilica

416-474: The circus which was completed by Claudius (r. 41-54 AD). The privately owned circus and Horti were then inherited by Nero who made the circus public so he could invite them to cheer him on. He also used both of these to lodge Romans made homeless by the great fire of 64. The circus was used in 65 to carry out mass executions of the Christians accused as scapegoats of the fire itself. Because of this

448-467: The death of Peter, a shrine was erected over his grave. This shrine is adjacent to the so-called Red Wall. Immediately adjacent to the suspected Peter grave, some other tombs were found. The arrangement of the graves suggests that the place of Peter's tomb was the site of some early veneration. The shrine, also called the "Trophy of Gaius", is named for the theologian Gaius of Rome who lived in Rome during

480-529: The first organized, state-sponsored martyrdoms of Christians in 65 AD. Tradition holds that two years later, Saint Peter and many other Christians shared their fate. The circumstances were described in detail by Tacitus in a well-known passage of the Annals (xv.44). The site for crucifixions in the Circus would have been along the spina ("spine"), as suggested by the 2nd century Acts of Peter describing

512-403: The gap was filled by mausoleums G and O and with other buildings. In the reign of (Emperor) Hadrian , Mausoleum O was built. Only Mausoleum H, from the second half of the 2nd Century, deviates from the straight row because of a pre-built Atrium . By this time the Circus was no longer in use; thus, it was no longer an obstacle to the spread of the necropolis to the south. The Circus at the time

544-492: The high infant mortality and low life expectancy in the 2nd Century CE. The former owners of six mausoleums (A, C, H, L, N, and O) have been identified from inscriptions above the entrance door. Mausoleum N is an example of a mausoleum that was used by different families at the same time. The inscription reports that it is the mausoleum of Marcus Aebutius Charito, but that one half belongs to Lucius Volusius Successus and Volusia Megiste, who jointly purchased some of it. More of

576-612: The necropolis of the Vatican hill. This caused the necropolis to be filled with soil and building debris, with the exception of St. Peter's tomb, which was preserved. The first excavations of the Necropolis occurred from 1940–1949 during the pontificate of Pius XII. The purpose of these excavations was to locate the grave of St. Peter, which for centuries had been assumed to be beneath St. Peter's Basilica. A series of mausoleums were unearthed. The mausoleums were initially labeled with

608-565: The necropolis was unearthed in 2003 during construction of a car park. The site is now open to visitors. Some tombs have undergone restorations, such as the ten-month project involving the Valerii Mausoleum. The field named P (Peter Campus) is the small area in which the suspected grave of the Apostle Peter is located. Peter was, according to tradition, after his martyrdom in the Circus Nero, buried here. Some 100 years after

640-506: The north side of the Circus, and its course can be traced with precision, for pagan tombs have been discovered at various times along its edges. Sante Bartoli's memoirs record that when Alexander VII was building the left wing of Bernini 's colonnade and the lefthand fountain, a tomb was discovered with a bas-relief above the door representing a marriage-scene ( "vi era un bellissimo bassorilievo di un matrimonio antico" ). Others were soon found. The best discovery, that of pagan tombs exactly on

672-535: The old Constantinian basilica. The Vatican necropolis was originally a burial ground built on the southern slope of the Vatican Hill, adjacent to the Circus of Caligula . In accordance with the Roman law, it was forbidden to bury the dead within the city walls. For this reason, burial grounds sprang up along the roads outside of the city cemeteries. One of these streets, the Via Cornelia, ran north along

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704-405: The right side of the "Trophy of Gaius" is attached at right angles, the so-called Graffiti Wall, named after the large number of Latin graffiti to be found there. During the excavations in the grave the mortal remains of the Apostle Peter were not found. There were, however, in a marble-lined hole of the graffiti wall, some human bones. The archaeologist Margherita Guarducci suggested that during

736-460: The south, in the direction of the circus and the Via Cornelia. The mausoleums had been used by many generations and shared by several families. Archaeologists found around 120 burials in Mausoleum F and at least 170 in Mausoleum H. An approximate calculation of the number of body and urn burials in the 22 excavated tombs yielded a number of more than 1,000 funerals. This large number is due to

768-507: The spot of his martyrdom as inter duas metas ("between the two metae or turning-posts", which would have been equidistant between the two ends of the circus). The obelisk at the centre of this circus's spina always remained standing, until it was re-erected in Saint Peter's Square in the 16th century by the architect Domenico Fontana . The obelisk was originally brought to Rome by Caligula . The Via Cornelia ran parallel with

800-455: The time of Pope Zephyrinus (198–217 AD). Consider this quote from Eusebius of Caesarea: I can show the tropaia of the apostles. Because if you want to go to the Vatican or on the road to Ostia , you'll find the tropaia of those who founded this church. The Greek term used by Gaius— tropaion —usually means a monument or a trophy of victory. Eusebius interpreted the quote 100 years later as an indication of honorific graves. On

832-597: The time of construction of the Constantinian basilica, the remains of the Apostle Peter were removed from his original grave and placed in the opening. The archaeologist pointed to inscriptions in the wall behind the pillar monument including the letters PETR… EN I, as the designation of Peter relics. Other archaeological sites in Rome also have similar graffiti, suggesting that therein is a commemoration (by Christians) to Peter and Paul as martyrs. On 26 June 1968, Pope Paul VI announced that following scientific study,

864-654: The tomb of Saint Peter, representing various nationalities and patron saints. Notable among these are the Irish, Polish, Lithuanian, Patron Saints of Europe, and Mexican chapels, and the oratory with the tomb of Pope Pius XII . In 1979, a large archway was opened to make the front of the Confessio, with the Niche of the Pallia, visible. This area, closest to Saint Peter's tomb, is surrounded by chapels dedicated to Our Lady, forming

896-572: The tombs of 91 popes. Notably, Pope John Paul II was initially buried here in 2005 before his remains were moved to the Altar of St Sebastian. Additionally, it houses the graves of some royals, such as Queen Christina of Sweden and Queen Charlotte of Cyprus . Within the Clémentine Chapel , behind the altar, lies St. Peter's Tomb , marked by a grill covering some white marble. Vatican Necropolis The Vatican Necropolis lies under

928-575: Was already overbuilt with various tombs. A grave from the same time as the construction of Mausoleum H was found near the foundation of the obelisk. When the Circus was eventually razed, to the already existing series of mausoleums was built another group, namely the Mausoleums Z, Φ (phi), Χ (chi) and Ψ (Psi). In the period from the end of the 2nd Century to the middle of the 3rd Century, mausoleums were built along with various freestanding buildings. All buildings except Mausoleum R1 had their entrance to

960-405: Was erected by Constantine over the site using some of the existing structure of the Circus of Nero. The basilica was sited so that its apse was centred on Peter's tomb (now beneath the high altar of the current St Peter's Basilica ). Most of the ruins of the Circus survived until 1450, when they were finally destroyed by the construction of the new St. Peter's Basilica. The circus was the site of

992-554: Was first built under Caligula . The Ager Vaticanus , the alluvial plain outside the city walls on the west bank of the Tiber , was developed at the end of the first century BC, allowing patrician families to construct luxurious private residences ( Horti ). The Horti Agrippinae villa-estate belonged to Agrippina the Elder and was inherited by her son Caligula (r. 31–41 AD). He was a chariot-racing enthusiast and began construction of

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1024-494: Was proposed by architect Antonio da Sangallo the Younger to Pope Leo X following Raphael 's death in 1520. Pope Clement VIII , in 1592, undertook significant renovations of the medieval crypt, naming it the “Clementine” and installing a seventeenth-century altar near the tomb of Saint Peter. Between 1616 and 1617, Pope Paul V added straight corridors leading to the Confessio of Saint Peter, along with several chapels such as

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