Vatican Necropolis (the Scavi) historical timeline

Last updated on October 6, 2026

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A Roman cemetery was built over by the Emperor Constantine, buried for sixteen centuries, and came back out of the ground almost unchanged.

Chronology

Roman period — a "necropolis", meaning "city of the dead", is in use on the site, leaving archaeological, epigraphic and iconographic evidence of daily lives and religious sentiments.
1st century — here, Saint Peter was crucified and buried, in what the Fabbrica calls the humble tomb of the Galilean Fisherman.
The Constantinian basilica — the cemetery passes beneath the floor of it, and from that point remained inaccessible and untouched.
The Renaissance — the massive Renaissance structures rise above it; it is upon the humble tomb of the Galilean Fisherman that the majestic basilica rises, serving both as a treasure chest that preserves it and as a home that gathers all believers.
Sixteen centuries in all — the site stays sealed, which is why its evidence is unearthed from the ground in a nearly unchanged form after more than 1,600 years.
Since excavation — the necropolis can be visited, by a "Request a Reservation" made to the Fabbrica di San Pietro's Ufficio Scavi.

Verified against Fabbrica di San Pietro — Ufficio Scavi, October 2026.

Sources & verification Covers the sourced claims on this page.

Checked against Fabbrica di San Pietro — Ufficio Scavi — The Fabbrica di San Pietro records that the site remained inaccessible and untouched for sixteen centuries beneath the floor of the Constantinian basilica and the massive Renaissance structures; that in it are rediscovered the roots of the Roman Church, which sprang from this land watered by the blood of the Holy Protomartyrs; that here Saint Peter was crucified and buried, and here the Pope still resides today, continuing his mission as shepherd of the universal Church; and that it is upon the humble tomb of the Galilean Fisherman that the majestic basilica rises, serving both as a treasure chest that preserves it and as a home that gathers all believers, The Fabbrica di San Pietro records that the "necropolis", meaning "city of the dead", reveals itself as a place that leads us to rediscover a "world of the living", allowing glimpses into their daily lives and religious sentiments through archaeological, epigraphic and iconographic evidence unearthed from the ground in a nearly unchanged form after more than 1,600 years (October 2026).