Visits to the Necropolis of the Via Triumphalis: new independent entrance from Piazza del Risorgimento
Perhaps few know that the section of the Vatican Walls facing Piazza del Risorgimento includes the Porta di Santa Rosa gateway, and that from that monumental entrance to the Vatican State (created by the sculptor Gino Giannetti and inaugurated in 2006), from next 17 November, it will be possible to directly access the famous archaeological area of the Necropolis along the Via Triumphalis to discover the fascinating “Life and Death in the Rome of the Caesars”.
An easier and independent entrance to the excavations and its precious artefacts, which, thanks to this new access, will thus be closer to hand: a five-minute walk from the Metro A “Ottaviano” stop and a stone's throw from the bus or tram terminus in Piazza del Risorgimento.
With a view to enhancing the value of its archaeological heritage and making it more accessible to tourists and pilgrims - also in anticipation of the important upcoming Jubilee - the Governorate of Vatican City State is promoting a guided tour experience to be added to the rich cultural offering managed by the Vatican Museums, confirming, for those who have more time, the already popular combined Museums & Necropolis or Vatican Gardens & Necropolis tours (the latter with exclusive access from Viale Vaticano).
The visits, currently scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays, can be exclusively booked online on the official Vatican Museums website.
The musealization of the area (2009-2013) was made possible thanks to the generous support offered by the Canada Chapter - specifically Paul and Carol Hill - of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, while the conservative operations in the archaeological site for the current year (2023) are supported by the magnanimity of the Washington DC Chapter.