EN
Tickets
An underground service gallery of the Baths

Underground, Mithraeum and Domus di Vigna Guidi

About 2 kilometres of tunnels run beneath the Baths: here were the furnaces, the firewood, the water systems and one of the largest Mithraea in Rome. They open during the “Notturno Imperiale” evenings.

An independent guide, not the official website of the Baths of Caracalla.

Photo: Lalupa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On this page
  1. The tunnels
  2. The Mithraeum
  3. How to visit: the Notturno Imperiale evenings
  4. Accessibility
  5. The Domus di Vigna Guidi
  6. Daytime tickets
  7. Frequently asked questions

The tunnels

Preserved for about 2 kilometres, the underground was a maze of tunnels wide enough for carts. According to the Soprintendenza it held the wood stores, the heating system with furnaces and boilers, a water system, a mill and the Mithraeum.

An underground service gallery of the Baths
A service tunnel beneath the Baths. Photo: Lalupa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Mithraeum

The Mithraeum of the Baths is one of the largest preserved in Rome. You can still make out the fossa sanguinis, used for the initiation rites of the cult's followers.

According to Wikipedia it was discovered in 1912 and is considered the largest documented gathering place of the cult of Mithras.

How to visit: the Notturno Imperiale evenings

On the Notturno Imperiale evening openings the route includes the underground tunnels with the Antiquarium and the Mithraeum. The Baths open from 7:30pm to 10:30pm, last entry 9:30pm.

TicketWhat it includesPrice
Notturno ImperialeEvening opening with the underground and the Mithraeum€8
Notturno Imperiale, reducedEvening opening, reduced rate€2
  • 1,200 places per evening, to protect the monument.
  • Tickets online only on the Musei Italiani platform; free entry as set by law.
  • Dates are announced from time to time on the Soprintendenza's website.

We found no regular daytime visits to the underground on the official pages.

Accessibility

There are flights of stairs down to the underground: the accessible route starts from via Antonina 5. Information: ss-abap-rm.urp@cultura.gov.it.

The Domus di Vigna Guidi

A house older than the Baths. Since 2022, after major restoration, its detached frescoes are back on view.

Fragments of frescoes shown in the galleries of the Baths
Fresco fragments on display in the galleries of the Baths. Photo: Edelmauswaldgeist, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Visited with the standard ticket, during the day.
  • Closes at 4pm.
  • Closed on very busy days, such as the first Sunday of the month, to protect the frescoes.

Daytime tickets

By day you visit the ground level and the Domus di Vigna Guidi with the standard ticket: prices.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit the underground of the Baths of Caracalla?

Yes, during the Notturno Imperiale evening openings, with tickets sold online only on Musei Italiani (€8, reduced €2). The official pages list no regular daytime visits.

What is the Mithraeum of the Baths of Caracalla?

A place of worship of the god Mithras in the underground, one of the largest preserved in Rome, where the fossa sanguinis used for initiation rites can still be seen.

Is the Domus di Vigna Guidi included in the ticket?

Yes, in the standard ticket. It closes at 4pm and is closed on very busy days such as the first Sunday of the month.

Is the underground accessible?

There are stairs; the accessible route starts from via Antonina 5.

Sources

Baths of Caracalla from €20.50 on Tiqets
Book