The Mithraeum of Santa Prisca is hidden under the Church of Santa Prisca, in the silence of the Aventine. The hill, now an elegant residential area, was once a refuge of foreign communities and site of oriental cults.
Constructed on top of an older building, destroyed in around the 15th century and then replaced by the church of Santa Prisca, the Mithraeum was discovered almost by chance in 1934.
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Opening days
SITE TEMPORARILY CLOSED
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Opening times
Access only with guided or accompanied tour
- Individuals
guided tour
every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, 10.00
Groups
guided tour
every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, 11.00 and 12.00
accompanied visit
every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, 11.00 and 12.00 - Individuals
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Closing
August
- Web Mithraeum of Santa Prisca
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Feature List
- Info line
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Accessibility
The site is not wheelchair accessible: a staircase provides the entrance to the Mithraeum.
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Info Reservation+39 0639967702
VISITING THE MITHRAEUM
Going down into the underground room you will enter a rectangular space with a frescoed niche at the back, in memory of the cave where the young god Mithras, guardian of pacts and messenger between the earth and the sky, was born. Nude, with his cloak fluttering in the breeze, the god is accompanied by an unusual lying Saturn. The side walls are frescoed with scenes of the seven grades of initiation, the tests that initiates had to pass to be admitted to the cult.
Visiting this place means returning to the roots of history when the mystery cults and Christianity coexisted in the same places.
To reconstruct the fascinating story of this amazing monument take advantage of our guided tours.
The Mithraeum of Santa Prisca is included in the “Hidden archaeology” programme, a series of exclusive openings of archaeological sites usually closed to the public. To find out more ask for information on the programme!
Services
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Visits
for individuals by reservation
available in Italian -
Visits
for groups and schools by reservation
Additional Info
The site can only be visited with a guided tour or accompanied by an obligatory reservation, subject to availability.
Where
Via di Santa Prisca, 8 - Roma
Transportation
Metro: line B, station Circo Massimo
Bus: nn. 175, 715, 60, 75, 118
Tram: line 3, stop on Aventino
Visiting Rules
- the visitor, wearing a face mask, must arrive at the site 10 minutes before the booked visit time, with code and booking sheet
- at the entrance to the site, the body temperature will be measured, indicating 37.5°C as the threshold limit for entry
- it is compulsory to wear personal protective equipment within the site
- keep the distance of 1 mt between visitors
