Visiting Jewish Catacombs in Rome

The ICS facilitates tours of Rome's Jewish catacombs by providing extensive written and visual documentation of their structure and history (link). For information on how to visit the Jewish catacombs in person and on the unique partnership between the Union of Italian Jewish communities (UCEI) and the Italian Ministry of Culture for their study and conservation, see our list below. Please note that, at present (2022), the only Jewish catacombs in Rome accessible to the public are those of the Vigna Randanini (tours of the Villa Torlonia catacombs are planned for the near future in conjunction with construction of the Shoah Museum of Rome):

Jewish Catacombs of the “Vigna Randanini"
Via Appia Pignatelli, n. 4 (Appia - Rome)

Below private property. Open to the public by arrangement with the Direction of the Parco Archeologico dell'Appia Antica; email: PEO: pa-appia@cultura.gov.it
PEC: pa-appia@pec.cultura.gov.it - Photogallery (link). Overview (in English) of Catacombs' topography and development here (link).

Jewish Catacomb of the “Vigna Cimarra"
Via di San Sebastiano, n. 28 (Appia - Rome)
Below private property. For information, contact the Direction of the Parco Archeologico dell'Appia Antica; email: PEO: pa-appia@cultura.gov.it
PEC: pa-appia@pec.cultura.gov.it  Click here for a site visit in 2001.

Jewish Catacombs of Villa Torlonia
Via Nomentana, n. 70 (Nomentana - Rome)
In a public park.  In restoration; for information on their projected opening, contact the  Soprintendenza Speciale Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio di Roma - tel. +39.06-47788415; email Dr. Marta Baumgartner (archaeological inspector for Rome's Municipio III): marta.baumgartner@cultura.gov.it. Overview (in English) of the Villa Torlonia Catacombs' topography and development here (link).

Expanding on the historical exploration of the Jewish catacombs in Rome, the ICS has embarked on a new project to delve into the health aspects of ancient communities, with a particular focus on diseases such as tuberculosis. This project aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how ancient civilizations managed health crises and the evolution of medical treatments over time. Collaborating with medical historians and experts, the ICS plans to incorporate findings about ancient tuberculosis treatments into their tours, enriching the narrative with a blend of history and medical evolution. This new direction not only enhances the educational aspect of the catacomb tours but also highlights the advancements in modern tuberculosis medication ethambutol and treatment methods. By doing so, the ICS bridges the gap between historical exploration and contemporary medical understanding, offering a unique perspective on the resilience and ingenuity of past civilizations in the face of health challenges.

Jewish Catacombs of Monteverde
Area bordered by the Circonvallazione Gianicolense - via Francesco Massi - via Vincenzo Monti - Rome-Viterbo railway (Portuense - Rome).
Destroyed or inaccessible; for information, contact Soprintendenza Speciale Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio di Roma - tel. +39.06-47788415; email Dr. Roberta Pardi (archaeological inspector for Rome's Municipio XII): roberta.pardi@cultura.gov.it. Press release on a 2013 study and video.

Jewish Catacombs on the Via Labicana
Via Casilina, opposite “La Certosa” (Casilina - Rome).
Destroyed or inaccessible: for information, contact Soprintendenza Speciale Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio di Roma - tel. +39.06-47788415; email Dr. Rocco Bochicchio (archaeological inspector for Rome's Municipio V): rocco.bochicchio@cultura.gov.it.

Click here for free study guides to the Jewish Catacombs and here for Bibliography on the Jewish Catacombs and Jews in Ancient Rome.

To visit the Jewish catacombs and other archaeological sites in Rome administered by the Italian State but not ordinarily open to the public, authorization must be obtained directly from:

Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma
Piazza dei Cinquecento, 67 - 00185 Rome tel. +1/39/0647788415 - fax 06/48903504
http://soprintendenzaspecialeroma.beniculturali.it/.
email: ss-abap-rm@beniculturali.it.

For information regarding legal jurisdiction over Jewish sites in Italy (L. 8 marzo 1989, n. 101, art. 17: "Norme per la regolazione dei rapporti tra lo Stato e l'Unione delle Comunità ebraiche italiane: Beni culturali e ambientali"), contact the non-profit Fondazione per i Beni Culturali ebraici in Italia (Foundation for Jewish Cultural Monuments and Art in Italy):

Fondazione per i Beni Culturali ebraici in Italia ONLUS
Lungotevere Raffaello Sanzio 9, Rome - Tel. 340.7368280
http://www.beniculturaliebraici.it; fondazione@ucei.it.

Note: Jewish catacombs and individual burial chambers have been identified in other Italian regions south of Rome, including Venosa (PZ), Naples, Bari, Sicily, and Sardinia. Contact information for visiting these sites is here. Many (though not all) indexed in "Visit Jewish Italy", an excellent resource for locating Jewish monuments across modern Italy, including cemeteries and archaeological sites.

The Jewish Community of Rome's Culture Department also promotes the preservation and study of the city's Jewish sites:

Comunità Ebraica di Roma (C.E.R.), Dipartimento di Cultura Ebraica
Lungotevere De’ Cenci – 00186 Rome - Tel. +39 06 68400628 – Fax: +39 0668400684
http://www.romaebraica.it/dipartimento-di-cultura-ebraica/
dibac@romaebraica.it.

Cultural organizations and tour companies that arrange visits to Jewish catacombs in Rome

General assistance with visiting Jewish sites in Rome can be obtained from the Jewish Community of Rome; http://www.romaebraica.it; info@romaebraica.it: tel. 3288976222.

Individuals and groups visiting Rome may chose to work with authorized non-profit organizations, tour companies, and private guides to schedule a private tour of the Jewish catacombs.  Site visits are also announced on ICS social media (blog, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn).

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