Hidden Vatican: the “Scavi” and how to visit them

As you plan your travel to Rome, you’ll have surely considered devoting part of your trip to the exploration of the Vatican area: St. Peter’s Basilica, with the Vatican Museums and – of course – the Sistine Chapel.

This is on every tourist’s “must do”, after all, and there’s little deviation from the rule. At the very most, some more travelled people might want to add experiences that are a little out of the ordinary, such as the train daytrip to Castel Gandolfo and the Papal palace there, or the ascent to St. Peter’s dome.

A surprising small number of visitors, however, know that St. Peter’s itself can also be visited… from below. Meaning, not everyone remembers that there’s a whole underground level under the basilica that is accessible (even though with a few limitations). That part of the Vatican is called “Scavi” (“Excavations”) and this post wants to share some information on it!

What are the Vatican’s “Scavi”, anyway?

Oversimplifying for the sake of brevity – and with many apologies to the historians reading this: you may already be aware that the current Basilica you see at St. Peter’s has not always looked like that. The building of the original church had been ordered by none other than emperor Constantine, who had also decided to flatten the Colle Vaticano hill that used to be where the basilica is now located.

That hill, while not one of the original seven hills of Rome, is as important because emperor Nero used it as a location to martyr some of the first Christians – among them, St. Peter.

Those killed there, along as other Romans who were not Christian, were all buried in a necropolis which ended underground when Constantine ordered, indeed, to build St. Peter’s in its stead. The “Scavi” are the part of that same necropolis, which includes St. Peter’s tomb, and that have been excavated since around 1939.

Scavi: not a chance discovery

Contrary to belief, the Scavi area has always been well-known, both by the Vatican residents and by Romans at large. So much so that when Pope Pius XII asked to be buried as close as possible to St. Peter’s tomb, the request was at first deemed impossible to fulfill, because the area below the basilica was considered too cramped to move around.

When contractors started working on it by trying to lower the existing underground floor to create more space, they soon discovered Roman tombs, shrines, buildings and more. Parts of the necropolis can never be excavated, so as not to pose a threat to the stability of the basilica above it. What you get to visit is, however, a significant portion of it.

How to visit the Scavi?

Visits to the Scavi can only happen through the Vatican offices themselves, as they authorize the amount of people allowed to walk through the area. Only up to 250 people can visit each day, divided into groups of 12, who are not allowed to explore on their own but are accompanied by a guide.

This is the official website for booking your visit, which also contains a “virtual guide” on the findings below the church and gives you a rough idea of what to expect down there (particularly useful in the even you’re claustrophobic and need more information before booking!).

Things to know before you book

• Visits to the Scavi are 1h 30 minutes – short enough for you to be able to still make it to the Vatican Museums right after, for instance, so plan your tours accordingly!
• Access is not allowed to kids under 15 – again, plan accordingly if you’re travelling with children.
• It goes without saying that your attire should be the same as when visiting a church – the tomb of St. Peter is here, after all. Even if you’re not religious and interested in the history behind it, try to be respectful to those who are, or those who work there (read something more about this here).
• On top of not being recommended to those suffering from claustrophobia, the Scavi area is not suitable to those tourists with a walking disability – obviously, it is an archaeological area and even though works have been carried out to make it more accessible, surfaces can be slippery, uneven or there might be steps or other obstacles.