San Clemente Underground and Basilica - Small Group Tour in Rome

Rome · Guided Tours · EUR 62.85

A visit of the 12th-century Basilica of San Clemente reveals a gleaming gold mosaic above the central apse. St. Clement's transformed over centuries from a private home that was the site of secret Christian worship in the first century to an imposing basilica. What lay beneath the Basilica was unknown until 1860, when flooding led an Irish Dominican Roman Catholic priest and archaeologist into the levels beneath the basilica floor. Excavations are ongoing. Today, you can descend up to 100 feet underground over three levels. At the first level, we will find a 4th-century Basilica, long forgotten after the construction of the 12th-century Basilica above. Underneath, find the remains of an ancient pagan Mithraic temple. Lower still, ruins of ancient Roman homes.