Roman catacombs
Museum of Roman Catacombs, Valkenburg
At the Museum of Roman Catacombs, you will discover an ancient underground history. Impressive burial sites in a mysterious labyrinth tell you everything about life and death in ancient Rome.
A guide will lead you through the underground passageways. Colorful wall paintings emerge in the candlelight, telling stories of the deceased as well as everyday life of the time. If you were wealthy in life, you were buried in an elaborate tomb chamber. The less fortunate rested in a niche in the wall.
In the museum’s underground spaces, lectures, exhibitions, and festivals are also organized. There you can see, hear, feel, smell, and taste how relevant Roman life still is today. A visit to the catacombs, enclosed by marlstone and without sunlight or sound, is an experience in itself.
Discover
- Join the guide in the dark labyrinth
- Discover Roman life through the rituals of death
- Visit an exhibition or take part in a workshop
- Experience the endless darkness and the deafening silence
Fun to know
- Burial and Cremation
- Do you want to be buried or cremated? Today it is a choice, but in Roman times it was a given. If you were a traditional Roman, you were cremated. Christian Romans were buried. Nowadays, more and more people are once again choosing the traditional “Roman” way: cremation. Even in saying goodbye to our loved ones, a piece of Roman heritage is hidden.