10 Things You Didn’t Know About St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome

Beneath St. Peter’s Basilica lies a complex network of grottoes that house the tombs of numerous popes.

Visitors can explore this subterranean space, known as the Vatican Necropolis or Scavi, to witness the final resting places of pontiffs such as Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII. The Vatican Necropolis offers a unique glimpse into the history of the papacy.