Tomb of Cecilia Metella

The Tomb of Cecilia Metella is probably the least visited of the famous monuments in Rome. It is featured in numerous paintings, old prints and photos of the Via Appia, yet because it is 3 miles out this ancient Roman road, few make the trek to see it.

A section of Via Appia with the original paving stones

near the Tomb of Cecilia Metella.

As with many sites in Rome, there are many layers of history in this one place. The cylindrical tomb was built in the 1st century BC to celebrate the glory of the Metelli family and for the burial of Cecilia, the daughter of a counsul and general who conquered Crete, and the wife of a general in Caesar’s conquest of Gaul.

The exterior of the cylinder was originally covered with travertine and had a decorative marble frieze at the top, all placed on a large rectangular base.
The burial chamber was entered from the outside through a basement corridor and the interior was probably decorated with stucco work.
Reliefs of oxen's heads were part of the decoration. In the Middle Ages these gave the area the name "Capo di Bove," Head of the Ox.

During the Middle Ages the large tomb became an important checkpoint on the Via Appia. In the 11th century it was incorporated into the fortifications of a castle. The castle was restored in the 14th century by the Caetani family.

In 1303 the Gothic church of San Nicola was built across the street as part of this fortified village.

Today, inside the ruins of the castle, there is a collection of objects recovered from this part of the Via Appia.

Funerary Urns for Ashes

These statues would have been along the Via Appia as markers for the individuals who were buried nearby.

Quo Vadis: Church and Novel

This past weekend I stopped to see a small church on the Via Appia Antica known as Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis. (In Italian it is named Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Piante, or in Latin Sanctae Maria in Palmis.) It is located on the spot where legend says Saint Peter had a vision of the risen Christ while fleeing persecution in Rome.

According to the tradition, Peter asked Jesus: "Domine, quo vadis? - Lord, where are you going?" And Jesus answered: "Eo Romam iterum crucifigi - I go to Rome to be crucified anew."
This convinced Peter to turn around and face martyrdom in Rome. The church markes the legendary spot where this meeting of St. Peter and Jesus took place.The first church on this site was built in the 9th century. The present building dates from the 17th century. The limited decoration and ornamentation inside is an interesting mix of items and styles. In the center of the floor is a marble slab with two footprints (being a copy of the original that is now preserved in the Basilica of San Sebastiano down the road) that people believe were a miraculous sign left by Jesus when he met Peter.

When your eyes look to the left, there is a modern column with a bust of Henryk Sienkiewicz, the Polish author of the historical fiction novel Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero. It is said that Sienkiewicz was inspired to write his novel while sitting in this church. A painting of St. Peter seems to be looking at the author. (Quo Vadis has been made into a movie several times. The first was in 1951 and the most recent film version was in 2001.)

Above the altar is a sensitive fresco of the Madonna.

To the left of the altar is a painting of Peter's crucifixion.

On the right near the altar is a strange devotional case

set in the wall with a statue collection and plastic flowers.