Naples: San Gaudioso Catacombs Guided Tour

Travel back in time and explore the Catacombs of San Gaudioso to learn more about the burial rites of early Christians and discover a mysterious world beneath the streets of Naples. Explore the history of the site and its expansion following the burial of the North African bishop, St. Gaudiosus between 451 and 453 AD. Gaze in wonder at the intensity of early Christian elements, such as the tomb of the saint and the 5th and 6th-century frescoes and mosaics with typical early Christian motifs. Explore the graves reserved for the nobles, dating back to the 17th century, when the catacombs resumed their function as a burial site. Get a closer look at the finer details, and learn how skulls were placed on display in the walls of the ambulatory in the 17th century. See stunning frescoes by Giovanni Balducci, who refused payment in order to be buried among the city's aristocrats.