7 of the World’s Most Enchanting and Stunning Catacombs

Jerusalem, a highly sought-after burial location, faces a shortage of space for the deceased. In 2015, the Jerusalem Jewish Community Burial Society collaborated with a construction firm to excavate beneath a mountain in Har Hamenuchot, the city’s largest cemetery, and develop an expansive underground necropolis capable of accommodating 22,000 crypts. The design features burial chambers stacked vertically within a maze of interconnected tunnels, reminiscent of ancient Middle Eastern catacombs. The initial phase of this modernized burial site is scheduled to launch in October 2019.

Explore seven of the most visually stunning and historically captivating catacombs from around the globe.

1. The Catacombs of Rome

The concept of catacombs began in the Middle East approximately 6000 years ago and reached Rome through Jewish migration. Early Christians adopted Jewish burial traditions but were compelled by Roman law to inter their dead outside city boundaries. Due to the high cost of land, they ventured underground, carving out roughly 375 miles of tunnels through Rome’s soft volcanic tuff. These networks featured rooms filled with rectangular niches known as loculi. Over time, more elaborate tombs emerged, including cubical (small family tombs) and arcosolia (arched niches for families). These spaces were often adorned with religious frescoes, gold medallions, statues, and other artworks. The beauty served not only the deceased but also the living, who gathered for funeral feasts and commemorated death anniversaries. (The notion that persecuted Christians secretly worshipped here is a Romantic-era myth.)

By the 5th century, barbarian invasions led to the looting of these tombs, prompting the relocation of saints’ and martyrs’ remains to safer church sites within the city. The catacombs were lost to memory for centuries until miners stumbled upon one beneath Via Salaria in 1578. This sparked a frenzy for relics (often of questionable origin). Today, Rome’s approximately 40 catacombs are devoid of bodies, but their ancient frescoes and labyrinthine tunnels remain a captivating attraction.

2. The Catacombs of Paris

While not the earliest, the Paris catacombs are arguably the most renowned globally, unmatched in their eerie allure. Originally Roman limestone quarries used to construct the city above, their modern purpose began in the late 18th century when overcrowded cemeteries raised public health alarms. (Saints-Innocents, for instance, had been in use for nearly a thousand years and was overflowing with bodies, posing a significant issue due to its proximity to the bustling Les Halles market). From the late 18th century, authorities addressed the problem by transferring the remains of an estimated six to seven million individuals to the former quarries, which were sanctified for this purpose.

In the 19th century, the catacombs were opened to the public as a macabre attraction. Today, visitors can view bones arranged in artistic patterns (such as a keg or heart shape). Other highlights include an underground spring, a sepulchral lamp, sculptures by a quarryman, and special exhibits. Only a portion of the roughly 200 feet of tunnels is accessible to the public, though this hasn’t deterred daring urban explorers, artists, and thieves from venturing into restricted areas. In 2004, Parisian police uncovered a hidden cinema complete with a bar in one of these off-limits sections.

3. The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa

Carved into the bedrock beneath Alexandria in the second century, the catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa ("Mound of Shards") were lost to history until 1900, when a donkey accidentally stumbled into an access shaft. Today, visitors can explore the three-tiered catacombs, which feature massive stone sarcophagi, intricate carvings, statues, and a blend of Roman, Greek, and Egyptian artistic styles. The Hall of Caracalla, located on the second level, is believed to house the remains of young Christian men (and at least one horse) slaughtered by Caracalla in AD 215.

4. The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo

During the 16th century, the Capuchin church in Palermo, Sicily, faced a cemetery space shortage, prompting the monks to embalm their deceased brethren and display them in the catacombs. Initially reserved for friars, the practice gained popularity, and local elites began requesting the same honor in their wills. Over 12,000 individuals have been preserved and categorized for display, including Men, Women, Virgins, Children, Priests, Monks, and Professionals. Burials continued until the 1920s, with one of the most famous residents being the strikingly preserved Rosalie Lombardo, among the last to be interred.

5. The Catacombs of Rabat, Malta

Beneath Rabat, Malta (formerly the ancient Roman city of Melite), lies a vast network of underground tombs carved from rock, dating from the 4th to the 9th century AD. Unlike most Mediterranean catacombs, these tunnels were used to bury Jews, Christians, and pagans side by side, with no apparent segregation between the groups.

The site features large tables used for ritual meals honoring the deceased, along with canopied burial chambers adorned with inscriptions, illustrations, and messages (archaeologists continue to decipher their meanings). Key catacomb complexes in Rabat include those dedicated to St. Paul, St. Agatha, and Tad-Dejr.

6. The Crypt of St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna

As the principal church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vienna, St. Stephen's Cathedral stands as one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, celebrated for its stunning multicolored tile roof and as the location of Vivaldi’s funeral. However, fewer visitors explore the crypt, which houses the remains of over 11,000 individuals.

While much of the current cathedral was constructed in the 14th century, the crypt was established following a bubonic plague outbreak in the 1730s. To combat the spread of the disease, cemeteries across Vienna were cleared, and many skeletons were arranged in orderly rows, with skulls placed on top. However, some areas feature chaotic heaps of bones. One notable section, the ducal crypt, houses the preserved organs of royalty, including the stomach of Hapsburg Queen Maria Teresa.

7. The Ossuary of Brno

Monika Durickova, Flickr // CC BY 2.0

During a routine archaeological excavation for a construction project in 2001, a hidden underground ossuary was uncovered in Brno, Czech Republic. This long-forgotten site contained an estimated 50,000 skeletons, initially arranged in orderly rows but later disrupted by water and mud. Opened to the public in June 2012, it is now recognized as Europe’s second-largest ossuary, surpassed only by the Paris catacombs.

This list was first published in 2015 and updated in 2019.