Mamertine Prison (Carcer Tullianum)

Q: What was the Mamertine Prison known for?

Mamertine Prison was the only prison in ancient Rome. When someone received a death sentence, they were sent here to await execution. It is known for the fact that apostles Peter and Paul were prisoners there.

Q: Is Mamertine Prison worth visiting?

This place worth visit because of its historical value. However, the prison is small and you won't spend more than 15 minutes there.

Q: How long was Peter inside Mamertine's prison?

It has been long referenced that St. Peter and St.Paul were imprisoned at the Tullianum for the last days before their death penalties.

Q: How did Saint Peter escape from prison?

Acts 12:3–19 says that Peter was put into prison by King Herod, but the night before his trial an angel appeared to him, and told him to leave. Peter's chains fell off, and he followed the angel out of prison, thinking it was a vision (verse 9).

Q: Were Peter and Paul in the same prison?

Yes, they were together in the Mamertine Prison.

Q: Why were Peter and Paul executed in different ways?

Because Peter believed he was unworthy to be crucified similarly to Jesus, he was executed upside down. Since Roman citizens could not be crucified, Paul was executed by beheading.

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Mamertine Prison (Carcere Mamertino, Carcer Tullianum) was the only prison in ancient Rome.

When someone received a death sentence, they were sent here to await execution. Although there is no proof, legend says that the apostle’s Peter and Paul were also detained in this prison. They began their journey to martyrdom from this prison: Paul toward the Aquae Salviae and Peter toward the Circus of Nero near the Vatican. In honor of Peter, a small altar has been erected in the Carcer.

Mamertine Prison in Rome

Contents

1 What you need to know before visiting Mamertine Prison
2 Carcer Tullianum
3 Interesting Facts
4 Mamertine Prison Tickets and Opening Hours
5 Liberation of Peter in Art
6 Interesting sights near the Marmertin prison

What you need to know before visiting Mamertine Prison

What was the Mamertine Prison known for?

Is Mamertine Prison worth visiting?

How long was Peter inside Mamertine's prison?

How did Saint Peter escape from prison?

Were Peter and Paul in the same prison?

Why were Peter and Paul executed in different ways?

Carcer Tullianum

Before being part of the prison, the Tullianum was a structure linked to the water element. Water that reaches the ground arising out from the dark depths of the earth; water that comes out from a “hole” (spring) which allows “what was down” to interact with “what was up” (and vice versa).

Mamertine Prison Tullianum inside

It is thought that the Carcer-Tullianum wasn’t just a “public” building but still had, somehow, a religious aspect since votive objects, dating from when it was a unique structure with the Carcer, were found inside the Tullianum.

What to see in the Mamertine Prison

Read about where is the Vatican church.

Interesting Facts

Originally called Tullianum, Mamertine Prison was constructed between 500 and 600 BC.
It was initially a cistern from long ago rather than a prison. Later, it was transformed into a jail with two cells stacked on top of one another. A tiny door on the floor of the upper cell served as the entry to the lower cell.
The prison was in use until the 4th century, and in the 16th century, the church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami was built on top of the prison.
According to Christian legend, Saints Peter and Paul were imprisoned at the Mamertine Prison. According to these stories, Peter made a spring to baptize the guards and other prisoners in his cell.

the altar in the Mamertine prison

Mamertine Prison Tickets and Opening Hours

You can purchase tickets online in advance here or more quickly on tiquets.com and www.getyourguide.com
The price is 10-11 euros per ticket.
Opening hours: from Monday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Address: Clivo Argentario, 1. – the most convenient way to walk is from Via dei Fori Imperiali, bypassing the Forum of Caesar.
Accessibility: for logistical reasons, the site is not accessible to people with mobility difficulties
Audio guide available in English, Italian, and Spanish.

FACILITIES EVERY FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH:

If you buy the admission ticket directly at the Carcer Tullianum, reductions will be applied:Adult: 5 euro
Reduced: 6-17 years and students up to 25 years EU Free
For further information: tel +39 06 69896379
email: info@omniavaticantome.org

how to visit Mamertine prison in Rome

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You will also be interested in reading about Basilica of saint Paul outside the walls and about St Peters square.

Liberation of Peter in Art

Acts of the Apostles, chapter 12, describes an event known as the liberation of the apostle Peter, in which an angel liberates him from prison. Even though the story is briefly mentioned in the scripture, it has inspired several works of art and theological discussions.

St. Peter in Prison (The Apostle Peter Kneeling) by Rembrandt

The apostle Peter is depicted in his cell after being arrested in Jerusalem in a 1631 painting St. Peter in Prison (The Apostle Peter Kneeling) by Rembrandt.

St. Peter in Prison (The Apostle Peter Kneeling) Rembrandt

He is illuminated by a shaft of soft, golden light that emanates from an unseen source and completely obscures a huge portion of the artwork. Nonetheless, the saint’s distinguishing feature is immediately apparent: two metal keys that represent the keys to the kingdom of Heaven that Jesus bestowed on him and, in this context, alluding to the irony of his imprisonment. This painting is located in Leiden, Holland.

The Liberation of Saint Peter by Antonio de Bellis

The Liberation of Saint Peter is one of the most famous artworks of the artist. Antonio de Bellis (c. 1616 – c. 1656) was an Italian painter from Naples, active in the Baroque period.

The Liberation of Saint Peter by Antonio de Bellis

He was one of the essential artists working in Naples in the first half of the seventeenth century, along with Jusepe de Ribera, Bernardo Cavallino, and Massimo Stanzioni. Caravaggio mainly influenced the painter.

Saint Peter Enthroned Between Saint Paul and the Faithful by Jacopo di Cione

Saint Peter Enthroned Between Saint Paul and the Faithful (1370-1371) by Jacopo di Cione painting is inside the Pinacoteca of the Vatican Museums.

Jacopo di Cione Saint Peter Enthroned Between Saint Paul and the Faithful

The artist was an Italian Gothic period painter in the Republic of Florence.

Saint Peter in Tears by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

Saint Peter in Tears by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo dates to c.1650-1655.

Jacopo di Cione Saint Peter Enthroned Between Saint Paul and the Faithful

It is an oil on canvas that is nowadays located in the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum (bilbaomuseoa.eus).

Interesting sights near the Marmertin prison

Within walking distance from the Marmertin prison are:

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Author: Kate Zusmann

For the last 10 years, I live in the Eternal City. Traveling, exploring new things, writing blogs, and shooting vlogs are my main hobbies, but the thing that I like even more is sharing my experience and thoughts with you! Explore Rome with Us :)