The tradition identifies these places with the house where Saints John and Paul lived and were buried after enduring martyrdom under the reign of Emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363 AD).
The archaeological complex, discovered in 1887 by Father Germano of St. Stanislaus, rector of the Basilica of Saints John and Paul on the Caelian Hill—still officiated today by the Passionist Fathers—reveals a fascinating itinerary through over 20 underground rooms on various levels, partly frescoed with paintings dating from the 3rd century AD to the medieval age.
The main core consists of a two-level domus from the 2nd century AD, occupied by a private thermal bath complex (balneum) on the lower floor and an insula, a characteristic popular housing block with a portico and shops at street level and residences on the upper floors, built at the beginning of the 3rd century AD along Clivus Scaurus.
The different housing units were united into a single property in the 3rd century AD and transformed into an elegant pagan domus with representative rooms decorated with high-quality frescoes.
The extraordinary archaeological layering and the excellent state of preservation of the structures are already visible from the outside, as the current perimeter wall of the paleochristian church has incorporated the facade of the ancient insula, from which one can recognize the arcaded portico along the Clivus Scaurus and the windows of two of the upper floors.
Visiting information and tickets
Entry to the monument is allowed every thirty minutes.
Guided tours with an archaeologist are scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays.
No reservation is needed for individual visitors and small groups (max 10 people) that do not request a guided tour.
Booking is mandatory for:
groups (min 15 and max 25 people)
guided tour service
evening openings
special openings at times and days other than those indicated.
Rates
- full ticket €6.00
- reduced ticket * €4.00
- ticket for children up to 12 years old accompanied by an adult free
- guided tour for groups in Italian €90.00
- guided tour for groups in other languages €100.00
- Reservation fees €20.00
* for ages from 12 to 18 and over 65, for employees of the Ministry of the Interior, for employees of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, for students of architecture, archaeology, art history, and restoration institutes. Guided tours upon request also available in English, French, German, Spanish.
