Vatican Necropolis

Necropoli di San Pietro, Holy See

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The Vatican Necropolis, known as the Necropoli di San Pietro, is an ancient burial ground located beneath St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

It dates back to Roman times and was originally built on the southern slope of Vatican Hill near the Circus of Caligula, later the Circus of Nero, where tradition holds that Saint Peter was martyred and buried nearby. The necropolis consists of brick mausoleums, burial niches, and arcosolia, some dating to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, with decorative floor mosaics and inscriptions.

Excavations carried out between 1939 and 1949 uncovered the site beneath the basilica’s central nave, beneath the level of the Vatican grottoes. The necropolis was protected by law during Constantine’s time, but the basilica was constructed on top after Constantine ordered part of the necropolis to be covered with soil and debris, preserving only Saint Peter’s tomb.

Today, it is accessible only by guided tours, allowing visitors to explore this historically significant site that offers insight into early Christianity and the origins of the Catholic Church.