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Home / Ancient Roman Sites and Ruins /

Mamertine Prison (Carcer Tullianum)

Written by: Kate Zusmann

Mamertine Prison in Rome
Tickets
  • €10 Adult
  • €5 EU Students < 25 years
  • €5 Child (6-17 years)

Buy tickets online:

  • tiqets.com
  • getyourguide.com
  • omniavaticanrome.org
Tip The most convenient way is to go to the Marmertine Prison from Via dei Fori Imperiali, bypassing the Forum of Caesar. Every first Sunday of the month, enjoy discounted admission prices at the Carcer Tullianum when you buy your ticket on-site. Adults get 50% discount, while youth (6-17 years) and EU students up to 25 years get in for free.
Opening Hours
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Recommended tour
Closest bus stops
Fori Imperiali/Campidoglio5 min 232 m: 85 87
Teatro Marcello5 min 254 m: 715 78
Closest subway stations
Circo Massimo19 min 952 m: B
Repubblica 30 min 1.5 km: A
Address Clivo Argentario, 1, Roma
Website www.omniavaticanrome.org

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

Toggle
  • 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
  • Interesting Facts
  • My Experience at Mamertine Prison
  • Liberation of Peter in Art
    • St. Peter in Prison (The Apostle Peter Kneeling) by Rembrandt
    • The Liberation of Saint Peter by Antonio de Bellis
    • Saint Peter Enthroned Between Saint Paul and the Faithful by Jacopo di Cione
    • Saint Peter in Tears by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
  • Nearby Attractions

What you Need to Know before Visiting Mamertine Prison

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.

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.

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.

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).

Were Peter and Paul in the same prison?

Yes, they were together in the Mamertine Prison.

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.

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

  1. Originally called Tullianum, Mamertine Prison was constructed between 500 and 600 BC.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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

My Experience at Mamertine Prison

Walking to the Mamertine Prison from Via dei Fori Imperiali was convenient and scenic, allowing me to bypass the Forum of Caesar and soak in the historical ambiance.

how to visit Mamertine prison in Rome

For true Christians and history enthusiasts, this site is a profound experience, offering a close connection to the history of St. Peter. The atmosphere inside is somber yet captivating, making it a must-visit for those seeking to deepen their understanding of early Christian history.

You will also be interested in reading about the Basilica of Saint Paul outside the walls and 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).

Nearby Attractions

Basilica di Santa Maria in Ara Coeli
2 min 260 ft 80 m
Roman Forum
2 min 360 ft 110 m
Fountain of the Goddess Roma
2 min 390 ft 120 m
Capitoline Hill
3 min 490 ft 150 m
Capitoline Square
3 min 490 ft 150 m
Capitoline Museums
3 min 560 ft 170 m
The House of the Knights of Rhodes
5 min 750 ft 230 m
Altar of The Fatherland
5 min 890 ft 270 m
Colossus of Constantine
6 min 980 ft 300 m
Trajan's Market
7 min 1080 ft 330 m

Author: Kate Zusmann

Kate Zusmann

I have lived in the Eternal City for the past 12 years. They say every angle of Rome has its history, and I'm here to tell you about the most intriguing historical facts and city legends. :)

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About us ROME.US Authors Kate Zusmann and Artur Jakucewicz
2025.We're Kate and Artur, a duo bound by our shared fascination with the Eternal City – Rome. Our paths, driven by a mutual passion for its timeless stories and architectural marvels, converged in a way we had never imagined.

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