Kom El Shoqafa Catacombs & Pompey’s Pillar

Journey through Alexandria’s most mysterious archaeological sites with immersive virtual exploration of Kom El Shoqafa Catacombs and Pompey’s Pillar. Begin at the towering Pompey’s Pillar, where 360° views let you circle the massive 27-meter red granite column standing majestically on its hilltop. Examine the Roman inscription dedicating the monument to Emperor Diocletian and explore the surrounding ruins of the Serapeum temple complex.

Descend the spiral staircase into the Kom El Shoqafa catacombs, navigating three underground levels carved deep into the limestone bedrock. Enter the Rotunda, a circular well surrounded by pillars where bodies were lowered down on ropes. Walk through the Hall of Caracalla with its mysterious animal burial niches.

Explore the main tomb’s vestibule featuring stunning reliefs of bearded serpents wearing the double crown of Egypt – a perfect example of Greco-Roman-Egyptian artistic fusion. Enter the inner burial chamber where three massive sarcophagi rest in wall niches, flanked by statues of Sobek and Anubis dressed as Roman legionaries.

Visit the Triclinium banquet hall where stone benches line the walls, imagining ancient families gathering for funeral feasts. Navigate through narrow passages connecting multiple burial chambers, loculi (wall slots for bodies), and decorated niches showing intricate carvings that blend pharaonic symbols with classical Greek and Roman motifs.

Interactive features highlight architectural details, provide historical context about burial practices, and explain the unique cultural mixing that made Alexandria a crossroads of civilizations. Virtual lighting recreates the dim, atmospheric conditions of exploring these ancient underground chambers.