The Jewish Catacomb of the old Appian way underground tour
Explore the Jewish Catacombs of Vigna Randanini in Rome, located along the rustic Appian Way. Get a unique perspective of ancient Rome on a 90-minute subterranean tour of a site normally closed to the public.
The Jewish Catacombs of Vigna Randanini were discovered in the 19th century on the Appian way. They are one of seven known complexes utilized for Jewish burials. Today, they are closed to the public and may only be visited with special permission.
These catacombs, like their Christian and pagan counterparts, are a series of underground burial galleries with tombs carved into the soft volcanic stone of the area. The deceases were interred in painted loculi, cubicula, and kokhim. The presence of these kokhim set them apart from Rome's pagan and Christian catacombs. They were deep chambers in which the deceases would be buried perpendicular to the wall. The openings were sealed with marble epitaphs. The Vigna Randanini present interesting inscriptions predominantly in Latin and Greek language.