One of the most fascinating things about Rome is how, generation after generation, the population builds their structures on top of previous construction. Street level is now about 53 feet above its level in 250 BC. You generally have to descend a number of stairs to get to the entrance of a church built in the 11th-12th century, as the street level has simply grown up around it. Many of these old churches are still operational. My favorite example of this is a church called St Clemente. Archaeologists were aware that there had been a previous church constructed under the current church, so they excavated an area under the current structure. When they dug under the church, which is from the 12th century, they found the other church that had been constructed in the 4th century
... read more