The Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella is undoubtedly one of the focal points along the Via Appia Antica. Built between 30 and 10 BC, this funerary monument is located at Mile III of the road and continues to amaze visitors with its majesty and grace. What makes it even more fascinating is the fact that it was reused in medieval times as a castle tower, which is still in surprisingly good condition.
The mausoleum looks like a tall cylinder covered with travertine slabs, resting on a square base. Although much of the original basement has been eroded, the flint cement core is still visible. Inside, a conical-shaped burial chamber, open at the top with an oculus, contained the body of Cecilia Metella, a rich Roman matron belonging to one of the most important noble families of the time, probable daughter-in-law of Marcus Licinius Crassus, member of the first Roman triumvirate together with Caesar and Pompey.
The visit to the Mausoleum not only offers the opportunity to explore the tomb of Cecilia Metella but also to wander through the rooms of the castle built by the Caetani family in the early 14th century. This family acquired the lands around the mausoleum, known as Capo di Bove, and built a city wall that included a church, a palace, and a tower, the latter built on top of the bulk of the Roman mausoleum.
Inside the castle, we find the “Appian Museum”, which offers a collection of statues, sarcophagi, inscriptions, and reliefs from the Via Appia Antica and the funerary monuments that once lined it.
The entrance ticket includes the Mausoleum, the interior of Palazzo Caetani, and the Church of San Nicola. Recently, the route has been enriched with holographic projections inside the burial chamber, video-mapping in the so-called lava chamber, and the possibility of 3D experiences with oculus stations included in the entrance ticket.
INFO
Open from Tuesday to Sunday with last entry 30 minutes before closing.
From 1 October to 31 October from 9.00 to 18.30. From 1 November to 28/29 February from 9.00 to 16.30. From March 1st to March 31st from 9.00 to 18.30. From 1 April to 30 September from 9.00 to 19.15.
Full price: €8. Ticket valid for three consecutive days in all sites of the Appia Antica Archaeological Park. The ticket allows entry to every single site in the Park from the date of first use: Mausoleum of Cecilia Metella, Villa dei Quintili-Santa Maria Nova, Antiquarium of Lucrezia Romana, Capo di Bove Complex, Tombs of the Via Latina (by reservation only) , Villa di Sette Bassi (by reservation only).
Reduced: €2. Discounted daily entry reserved for young people between 18 and 25 years old.
Free: for children under 18, ICOM members and all other benefits provided by law (https://www.beniculturali.it/agevolazioni).
Free without advance booking for disabled people, their companion, qualified tourist guides.
My Appia Card: €15. Combined pass with all the sites of the Appia Antica Archaeological Park, nominative and valid for 1 calendar year from the date of purchase (unlimited entries).
• Telephone: +39067886254
• Email (only for information on visits): pa-appia.ceciliametella@cultura.gov.it
• For any other type of communication please refer to the Contacts page of the Appia Antica Archaeological Park.
How to get there: (we have chosen public transport)
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