Cella Septichora Visitor Center: Pécs Roman Heritage

The Subterranean Gateway to Ancient Sopianae

The Cella Septichora Visitor Center is an underground archaeological museum in Pécs, situated beneath Szent István Square and Sétatér, adjacent to Pécs Cathedral. Built beneath the western terrace of Dóm Square, the facility serves as the central presentation venue for the UNESCO-inscribed Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs, dating back to the Roman city of Sopianae. At street level, approximately 300 square meters of walkable glass roofing allows pedestrians on the square to view the excavated monuments below ground. Below the surface, the climate-controlled facility provides acoustic stillness and a cool atmosphere compared to the open square above.

Architecture of the Cella Septichora and Burial Chambers

The complex takes its name from an elongated octagonal burial chapel dating to the late fourth century. This building features seven semicircular apse niches, with an entranceway positioned on the eighth side. Despite its scale, the Cella Septichora was never completed or roofed in antiquity; building work stopped when Roman administration across the province of Pannonia Valeria collapsed in the early fifth century.

Several other late Roman funerary monuments are unified within the subterranean facility. The Peter and Paul Burial Chamber contains fourth-century ceiling frescoes depicting Saints Peter and Paul gesturing toward an early Christian Chi-Rho monogram, surrounded by decorative peacocks, doves, and vines symbolizing paradise. The Wine Pitcher Burial Chamber features a niche painting of a white ceramic jug and cup representing the refrigerium, an ancient funerary meal and early Christian symbol for the celestial banquet. The site also incorporates an Octagonal Chapel along with numbered burial chambers III, IV, XIX, and XX.

Historical Origins and Rediscovery

Founded in the second century AD, Sopianae became the administrative capital of Pannonia Valeria by the late third century. During the fourth century, as Christianity expanded across the Roman Empire, a major cemetery developed on the lower slopes of the Mecsek hills outside the northern city walls. Wealthy families constructed two-tiered structures consisting of underground stone-and-brick burial crypts surmounted by above-ground memorial chapels for commemorative rituals.

Modern rediscovery began in 1782 when construction of the cathedral chapter archives unearthed the painted Peter and Paul chamber. In the early twentieth century, architect-archaeologist Gyula Gosztonyi excavated the Cella Septichora and proposed uniting the isolated chambers. This plan was realized following comprehensive excavations conducted between 2004 and 2006.

Archaeological Exhibits and Modern Preservation

Opened in early 2007, the visitor center was designed by architects Dr. Zoltán Bachman and Bálint Bachmann to protect the ancient monuments. Suspended metal walkways allow visitors to view the excavated dirt floors, masonry, and surviving wall paintings under soft spotlighting without placing weight on fragile historic remains.

The museum displays excavated grave goods, including Roman glassware, coins, jewellery, and bronze buckles, alongside digital 3D reconstructions showing the original appearance of the chapels. Managed under municipal cultural tourism, the center provides combination ticketing for nearby landmarks, including the Early Christian Mausoleum and the Medieval University ruins, and occasionally serves as a venue for installations during the annual Zsolnay Light Festival.