The tunnels and Mithraeum temple underneath Rome’s Terme di Caracalla (Baths of Caracalla) have reopened to the public after 10 years of restoration work.
The Roman public baths, or thermae, were built between 212 and 216 AD remained in use until the 6th century when invading Ostrogoths destroyed the hydraulic installations. A temple dedicated to the god Mithras, the Mithraeum is the largest in the Rome. Mithraism was practised throughout the Roman Empire from 100 to 400 AD. The cult was popular among the Roman military and Mithraic temples were usually built underground in caverns, caves or underneath existing structures. Mithraea were dark and windowless, with raised benches along the sidewalls for a ritual meal and a sanctuary at the far end before which stood a pedestal-like altar.
The Mithraeum at the Baths of Caracalla is 82 feet long and 33 feet wide. It is unique for the rectangular blood pit at its centre. The 8-foot-deep pit is where bulls were sacrificed. The restoration has revealed black and white mosaics decorating the floor that were obscured by a thick layer of mud mosaic, as well as a marble relief showing a bust of Mithras and a snake.
To celebrate the reopening, Michelangelo Pistoletto has installed his artwork ‘Il Terzo Paradiso’ (The Third Heaven) in the Baths of Caracalla gardens. The piece consists of ancient stone fragments and pieces of columns laid out in three circles. It will be on display until 6 January 2013.
Entrance to the Baths of Caracalla costs €6. Guided tours to the Mithraeum are available Tuesdays to Sundays and tickets cost €9 each; booking is necessary and information on tours is available by calling 0039 06 3996 7700 or visiting www.coopculture.it.
