Sunday, September 15, 2024 The Appian Way, built by the ancient Romans in 312 BC, was Europe’s first superhighway, designed to connect Rome with Capua and later extended to Brindisi. This 430-mile road was an engineering marvel of its time, with sections of it still intact today. The road’s sturdy basalt paving blocks accommodated animal-powered vehicles and pedestrians, and walking along its ancient stones gives visitors a chance to step back in time.
About 10 miles of the Appian Way is preserved as Parco dell’Appia Antica , a regional park just outside central Rome. The park offers visitors a chance to explore ancient Roman monuments, Christian catacombs, and a church that marks the spot where Peter had a vision of Jesus. The road is accessible via taxi, Metro, or bus from Rome, but it’s best to visit on Sundays when the park is closed to cars, making it a pedestrian and biking haven.
The Appian Way is lined with impressive tombs, including the Tomb of Cecilia Metella , a massive cylindrical tomb dating back to the first century BC. Early Christians, lacking the resources for grand tombs, buried their dead in catacombs beneath the property of fellow Christians. The park contains two major catacombs, San Sebastiano and San Callisto , which offer guided tours showcasing the burial sites of early Christians, martyrs, and saints.
On the way back to the city, visitors can stop at the Domine Quo Vadis Church , built where Peter had his vision of Christ. The church contains a stone marked with Jesus’ supposed footprints and features frescoes of Peter and Jesus. The Appian Way, known as the “Queen of Roads,” remains one of the most legendary highways in history.
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