The Landmark Monument of the Appian Way

The Tomb of Caecilia Metella is one of the most imposing and famous monuments on the Appian Way (Via Appia Antica): a massive cylindrical tower in masonry, clad in travertine, that has dominated the third mile of the "queen of roads" for over two thousand years. It has become the very symbol of the Appia and one of the most recognizable images of Rome beyond the walls. Beside it stand a medieval castle and a small church: a place where different eras layer over one another.

Who Was Caecilia Metella

The tomb was built in the 1st century BC for Caecilia Metella, daughter of Quinto Cecilio Metello Cretico (a prominent consul and general) and wife of a member of the powerful Crassus family (Crassi). The sheer grandeur of the tomb reflects the family's rank: only the highest aristocracy could afford funerary monuments on this scale along Rome's most prestigious consular road.

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What to See

  • The great cylindrical tower of the tomb, with its frieze of bucrania (ox-skull motifs).
  • The Castrum Caetani, the medieval castle that absorbed the tomb.
  • The Gothic church of San Nicola / St Nicholas, beside the tomb.
  • The stretch of Via Appia Antica paved with original Roman paving stones, lined with monuments.

We go deeper in the guide on what to see at the Tomb of Caecilia Metella and in the article on the Caetani castle.

Visiting and Tickets

The site is visited with a ticket usually combined with other sites along the Appia (such as the Baths of Caracalla (Terme di Caracalla) and the Villa dei Quintili). For hours, prices and details, see the guide Tomb of Caecilia Metella: tickets and hours. To plan your trip out, check how to get to the Tomb of Caecilia Metella.

On the Via Appia Antica

The tomb makes a perfect stop along the Appia Antica: it pairs easily with a walk over the Roman paving stones, the catacombs and the other monuments of the road. See the guide to the Appian Way / Via Appia Antica.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Tomb of Caecilia Metella? A great cylindrical tomb from the 1st century BC on the Via Appia Antica, built for Caecilia Metella, a Roman noblewoman. It is one of the landmark monuments of the Appia.

Who was Caecilia Metella? The daughter of the consul Quinto Cecilio Metello Cretico and the wife of a member of the Crassus family (Crassi): the grandeur of the tomb mirrors the rank of her family.

What is the castle next to the tomb? The Castrum Caetani, a medieval castle built by the Caetani family in the 1300s, which absorbed the tomb and turned it into a tower, together with the church of San Nicola / St Nicholas.

How do you visit it? With a ticket usually combined with other sites along the Appia (Baths of Caracalla, Villa dei Quintili). Check hours and prices on the official website.

Where is it? On the Via Appia Antica, at the third mile, south of central Rome, inside the Parco dell'Appia Antica.

See Also

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Article #492 · Category: Monuments · Updated: May 2026