Are the Roman catacombs open to the public?

Most catacombs open to the public are located on the Appian Way (Via Appia Antica). It's a little way out of the centre, but while in Ancient Roman times it was considered to be outside of Rome, these days it's very much part of the city. These are your options for getting to the catacombs: Take the 118 bus.



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However, the strong smell of the Paris catacombs is apparently what all the initial signs were warning sensitive visitors about. At best, it could be likened to the dusty, incense-infused scent of old stone churches, but with an underlying malaise that can only be attributed to the contents of multiple cemeteries.

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The catacombs in Paris really don't have the same historical significance as do the Roman ones. In Paris, the bones were moved down to the catacombs from overflowing cemeteries following war/disease periods. The catacombs in Rome have a background related to religious persecution of Christians.

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The unique and fragile ossuary presented at the Paris Catacombs must not be touched. Group leaders must make their groups aware of the essential rules for preserving the works and be considerate towards other visitors. It is fordbidden to smoke, eat or drink inside the Paris Catacombs.

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The temperature underground in the Catacombs is about 57° F (14° C), much cooler than Paris in summer. Bring a sweater, jacket, or scarf to help with the chill.

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It's cool, even in summer! The average temperature is 14°C, and it can be very humid.

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While tours of the catacombs are offered occasionally, sleeping there is generally impossible.

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Despite the ritual with which they were transferred, the bones had simply been dumped into the tunnels in large heaps. Slowly but surely the quarrymen lined the walls with tibias and femurs punctuated with skulls which form the basis of most of the decorations that tourists see today.

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At all of the catacombs along the Appian Way, the bones of the dead have been removed to areas deep in the tunnels. What you see now are the honeycombs of burial niches which once held bones and in some cases, urns with ashes.

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