Basic Christian symbols from the Roman catacombs. Catacombs of Rome - the fascinating underground world of the Eternal City

03.03.2015 0 9256

Hidden beneath the ancient streets of Rome is another city with its own buildings and labyrinthine streets. Ancient catacombs with a total length of more than one and a half hundred kilometers were previously used as burial places.

The emergence of burials

Along the famous Appian Way in Rome, below the surface of the earth, there is an extensive system of dungeons. These catacombs are long labyrinths made of tuff, in the walls of which there are rectangular niches for burials. Today, almost all niches are open and empty, but closed ones have also been preserved (for example, in the Panfil catacombs).

In total, in Rome there are more than 60 different catacombs with a total length of 150-170 km, this is about 750,000 (!) burials. By the way, the very name “catacombs” (lat. catacomba) was not known to the Romans; they used the word “cemeterium” (lat. coemeterium) - “chambers”. Only one of the coemeteria, St. Sebastian's, was called ad catacumbas (from the Greek katakymbos - deepening).

Appian Way

The first catacombs at the gates of Rome appeared in pre-Christian era. Roman law prohibited burials within the city, so the Romans used major roads, leading from Rome. Most of the monuments on the Appian Way were erected in the 2nd century, after wealthy citizens began burying bodies in the ground instead of the Roman tradition of burning the bodies of the dead.

The price of plots of land at the beginning of public roads that connected the most big cities, was high, therefore, the closer the burial was to the city gates, the more respected the owner of the site was.

Roman owners built a single grave on their property, or an entire family crypt, where only their loved ones were allowed. Subsequently, their descendants, who converted to Christianity, allowed only fellow believers to be buried in their plots. This is evidenced by numerous inscriptions preserved in the catacombs: “[Family] tomb of Valery Mercury. Julitta Juliana and Quintilia, for his venerable releases and descendants of the same religion as myself,” “Marcus Antonius Restutus built a crypt for himself and his loved ones who believe in God.”

The earliest (IV century) historical sources The works of Blessed Jerome and Prudentius speak about the Roman catacombs. Jerome, who grew up in Rome, left notes about his visits to the catacombs:

“Together with my fellow peers, I had the custom of visiting the tombs of the apostles and martyrs on Sundays, often going down into caves dug in the depths of the earth, in the walls of which on both sides lie the bodies of the deceased, and in which there is such darkness that it almost comes true here prophetic saying: “Let them go into hell and live” (Ps. 54:16).

Jerome’s description is complemented by Prudentius’s work, “The Sorrows of the Most Blessed Martyr Hippolytus,” written around the same period:

“Not far from the place where the city rampart ends, in the cultivated area adjacent to it, a deep crypt opens its dark passages. A sloping path, winding, leads to this shelter, devoid of light. Daylight penetrates into the crypt through the entrance, and in its winding galleries, already a few steps from the entrance, the dark night turns black. However, clear rays are thrown into these galleries from above by holes cut in the vault of the crypt; and although there are dark places here and there in the crypt, nevertheless, through the indicated openings, significant light illuminates the interior of the carved space. In this way, it is possible to see the light of the absent sun underground and enjoy its radiance. In such a hiding place the body of Hippolytus is hidden, next to which an altar for divine rites is erected.”

It is from the performance of divine services in the catacombs on the tombs of martyrs that the Christian tradition of celebrating the liturgy on the relics of saints originates.

Funeral rites

During the period from the 2nd to the 4th centuries, the catacombs were used by Christians for religious ceremonies and burials, since the community considered it their duty to bury fellow believers only among their own. The funerals of the first Christians were simple: the body, previously washed and anointed with various incense (the ancient Christians did not allow embalming with cleansing of the insides), was wrapped in a shroud and placed in a niche. Then it was covered with a marble slab and in most cases walled up with bricks.

The name of the deceased was written on the slab (sometimes only individual letters or numbers), as well as a Christian symbol or a wish for peace in heaven. The epitaphs were very laconic: “Peace be with you,” “Sleep in the peace of the Lord,” etc. Part of the slab was covered with cement mortar, into which coins, small figurines, rings, and pearl necklaces were also thrown. Oil lamps or small vessels of incense were often left nearby. The number of such objects was quite high: despite the looting of a number of burials, about 780 objects were found in the catacombs of St. Agnes alone, placed with the deceased in the tomb.

Christian burials in the catacombs almost exactly reproduced Jewish burials and did not differ in the eyes of contemporaries from Jewish cemeteries in the vicinity of Rome. According to researchers, early Christian epitaphs (“Rest in peace”, “Rest in God”) in the catacombs repeat Jewish funeral formulas: bi-shalom, bi-adonai.

The Phosphors were in charge of managing and maintaining order in the catacombs. Their responsibilities also included preparing burial sites and mediating between sellers and buyers of graves. Images of fossors are often found in catacomb painting: they are depicted at work or standing from their labor, among which stand out an axe, a pickaxe, a crowbar and a clay lamp for illuminating dark corridors. Modern fossors participate in further excavations of the catacombs, keep order and guide scientists and interested people through unlit corridors.

Niches (locules, literally “places”) are the most common form of burial in the catacombs. They were made in the form of rectangular oblong recesses in the walls of the corridors.

Arkosolium is a low blind arch in the wall, under which the remains of the deceased were placed in the tomb. The tombstone was used as an altar during the liturgy.

"Decline" of the catacombs

Starting from the 4th century, the catacombs lost their significance and ceased to be used for burial. The last Roman bishop to be buried in them was Pope Melchiades. His successor Silvestre was already buried in the Basilica of San Silvestro in Capite. In the 5th century, burials in the catacombs ceased completely, but from this period the catacombs gained popularity among pilgrims who wanted to pray at the graves of the apostles, martyrs and confessors.

They visited the catacombs, leaving various images and inscriptions on their walls (especially near the tombs of saints’ relics). Some of them described their impressions of visiting the catacombs in travel notes, which are one of the sources of data for studying the catacombs.

The decline in interest in the catacombs was caused by the gradual extraction of the relics of saints from them. For example, in 537, during the siege of the city by Vitiges, the tombs of the saints were opened and their relics were transferred to the city churches.

This was the first recovery of relics from the catacombs; subsequent records of chroniclers report more large-scale actions. For example, Pope Boniface IV removed thirty-two carts with relics from the catacombs, and under Pope Paschal I, according to the inscription in the Basilica of Santa Prassede, two thousand three hundred relics were removed from the catacombs.

Reopened

Since the end of the 9th century, visits to the Roman catacombs, which had lost the relics that attracted pilgrims, practically ceased; in the 11th-12th centuries, only isolated cases of such visits were described. For almost 600 years, the famous necropolis in the Christian world is forgotten.

In the 16th century, Onuphrius Panvinio, a theological professor and librarian of the papal library, began studying the catacombs. He researched early Christian and medieval written sources and compiled a list of 43 Roman burials, however, the entrance was only found in the catacombs of Saints Sebastian, Lawrence and Valentine.

The Roman catacombs became known again after workers working on the earthworks on the Salyar road, we came across stone slabs covered with ancient inscriptions and images. At that time it was believed that these were the catacombs of Priscilla. Soon after their discovery, they were buried under rubble and only re-excavated in 1921.

The catacombs were later explored by Antonio Bosio (c. 1576-1629), who first descended into the catacombs of Domitilla in 1593. Full-scale research papers began only in the 19th century, when works devoted to their history and painting were published.

Since 1929, the catacombs and the research carried out there have been managed by the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology. The Institute of Christian Archeology under the commission is engaged in the protection and preservation of open catacombs, as well as the study of paintings and further excavations.

Types of catacombs

Christian catacombs

The system of Christian burials is the most extensive of all. The oldest of them are the catacombs of Priscilla. They were the private property of the family of Aquilius Glabrius, the Roman consul. The premises in them are decorated with early Christian frescoes, of which the feast scene (an allegory of the Eucharist) in the Greek chapel and the oldest image of the Virgin and Child and the Prophet, dating back to the 2nd century, stand out.

Of particular interest are the catacombs of St. Sebastian, which contain pagan burials decorated with frescoes.

Symbols and decor

The walls of about 40 catacombs are decorated with frescoes (less often mosaics) depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments, pagan myths, as well as various Christian allegorical symbols. The oldest images include scenes of the “Adoration of the Magi,” which date back to the 2nd century. Also dating back to the 2nd century is the appearance in the catacombs of images of an acronym or a fish symbolizing it.

The presence of images of both biblical history and saints in the burial and meeting places of early Christians testifies to an early tradition of venerating sacred images.

Other common symbolic images, partially borrowed from ancient tradition, in the catacombs include:

An anchor is an image of hope (an anchor is the support of a ship at sea);

The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit;

Phoenix is ​​a symbol of resurrection;

The eagle is a symbol of youth (“your youth will be renewed like an eagle” (Ps. 102:5));

The peacock is a symbol of immortality (according to the ancients, its body was not subject to decomposition);

The rooster is a symbol of resurrection (the crowing of a rooster awakens you from sleep);

The Lamb is a symbol of Jesus Christ;

Leo is a symbol of strength and power;

The olive branch is a symbol of eternal peace;

Lily is a symbol of purity (common due to the influence of apocryphal stories about the Archangel Gabriel giving the Virgin Mary a lily flower);

The vine and the basket of bread are symbols of the Eucharist.

Researchers note that Christian fresco painting in the catacombs represents (with the exception of New Testament scenes) the same symbols and events of biblical history that are present in Jewish burials and synagogues of that period.

It is interesting that in the catacomb painting there are no images on the theme of the Passion of Christ (there is not a single image of the crucifixion) and the Resurrection of Jesus. But there are often scenes depicting Christ performing miracles: the multiplication of loaves, the raising of Lazarus... Sometimes Jesus holds in his hands a kind of “ magic wand", which is an ancient tradition of depicting miracles, also adopted by Christians.

Another frequently encountered image in the catacombs is Oranta. Initially as a personification of prayer, and then as an image of the Mother of God, representing her with her arms raised and outstretched to the sides, palms open, that is, in the traditional gesture of intercessory prayer.

Long dark corridors with an atmosphere of death in them inexorably attract both pilgrims and ordinary tourists to the Roman catacombs. Some long for the blessings of the burial place of their saints, others for thrills and photographs as souvenirs. Scientists are special visitors. History, walled up in the walls, still keeps its secrets and is ready to reveal them only to a select few.

The Catacombs of Rome (Italian: Catacombe di Roma) are a large network of underground tunnels that began to appear in the pre-Christian era. In those days, these labyrinthine corridors served as a burial site, and today they are a popular attraction in the Italian capital.

Catacombs of Rome - the amazing underground world of the Eternal City

The Roman catacombs were accidentally discovered in the 16th century and began to be studied by Antonio Bosio, an Italian archaeologist who was the first to describe ancient underground cemeteries. His follower in the mid-19th century was Giovanni Battista de Rossi, who opened 27 catacombs over 40 years. Archaeologists have established that the tunnels appeared in the 1st century AD.

The catacombs are dug into volcanic tuff at a depth of 8 to 25 meters and consist of one, two, three and even four floors, which are connected by carved staircases. The walls of the most famous tunnels are painted with frescoes and tiled with mosaics.

In Rome and its surroundings there are more than 60 catacombs with a total length of 150 km. They were mainly built along the consular roads, such as Via Appia, Via Ostiense, Via Labicana, Via Tiburtina and Via Nomentana.

Appian Way

Nowadays, these ancient underground passages are a popular tourist destination. Of all the famous catacombs in Rome, you can visit only 6 catacombs that have electricity. Tours of the tunnels are accompanied by guides.

Catacombs of Saint Callistus

The Catacombs of St. Callisto (Italian: Catacombe di San Callisto) is the oldest and best preserved cemetery of the Appian Way. The tunnels of this complex, created at the end of the 2nd century, cover an area of ​​15 hectares and make up almost 20 km of underground passages that descend to a depth of 20 meters. IN beginning of III century, the cemetery was significantly expanded by decree of Pope Callistus, in whose honor the burial complex was named. More than 50,000 Christians are buried in these catacombs, including numerous martyrs and pontiffs.

What to see

Tomb of the Popes(Italian: La cripta dei Papi) - the most important place in the catacombs of St. Callistus. There are 16 sarcophagus niches and a monumental tomb on the back wall. This part of the complex was discovered in 1854 by the archaeologist de Rossi, who gave it the name “little Vatican”, since the tomb became the burial place for 9 Popes and 8 bishops of the 3rd century. On the walls you can see the names of the pontiffs carved in Greek.

In the next crypt there is tomb of Saint Cecilia(Italian: La tomba di Santa Cecilia), decorated with frescoes and mosaics from the 9th century. By decree of Pope Paschal I in 821, the relics of the saint were transferred from the catacombs to the church of St. Cecilia in Trastevere, where they are kept to this day. And in the catacombs at the site of the first burial there is a statue of Saint Cecilia.

Catacombs of Saint Sebastian

Catacombs of St. Sebastiano (Italian: Catacombe di San Sebastiano) are located in the southern part of Rome along the Appian Way. The tunnels of this complex were formed as a result of pozzolan mining and were originally used for pagan burials, and eventually Christian ones. The catacombs got their name from Saint Sebastian, who was buried here at the end of the 3rd century.

Inside, the catacombs of this necropolis are very similar to the catacombs of St. Callistus. They have 4 levels of depth and intricate underground corridors, in which ancient inscriptions and religious frescoes are still visible.

The tourist route to the catacombs begins with the Baroque Basilica of St. Sebastian, the construction of which was ordered by Cardinal Scipione in the 17th century.

In the temple, in addition to the relics of Saint Sebastian, such sacred relics are kept as a stone with the imprint of Jesus Christ, some of the arrows that pierced Saint Sebastian, the column to which the saint was tied, the hands of Saints Callistus and Andrew the First-Called.

The Catacombs of Priscilla (Italian: Catacombe di Priscilla) are located along the ancient Salt Road, along which salt was transported. The name of the complex comes from the name of a woman who, in the 2nd century, donated her property for an underground cemetery, the construction of which took three centuries. The tunnels of these catacombs extend for 13 kilometers at different depth levels and store about 40,000 burials.

In the catacombs of Priscilla, many frescoes dating from the 2nd-4th centuries have survived to this day. Here you can see the oldest images of the Virgin and Child and the Virgin Mary Oranta.

Image of the Virgin Mary Oranta, 3rd century

The Catacombs of Domitilla (Italian: Catacombe di Domitilla), located on the Ardeatine Way, are the largest burial site ancient Rome. In the 2nd century, individual family crypts began to appear in these tunnels, which at the end of the 4th century united into a large necropolis, consisting of 4-level galleries and corridors with a total length of 17 km. There are about 150,000 burials in the catacombs of Domitilla. Mostly the dead were buried in small crevices cut into stones, and the rich Romans had real family tombs.

The complex includes a semi-underground basilica of the 4th century, which until the 9th century housed the relics of Saints Nereus and Achilleus, the most important Roman martyrs. Today, excursions to the catacombs of Domitilla begin from this church.

Visiting the catacombs of Domitilla, you can see magnificent frescoes that have survived to this day and introduce us to the life of early Christian communities, their belief in resurrection and eternal life.

The Catacombs of St. Agnes (Italian: Catacombe di Sant "Agnese) date back to the 3rd-4th centuries and are named after the Christian martyr Agnes of Rome, who was buried here. Her grave was visited by Roman and foreign pilgrims. Also, St. Agnes was very revered by the family of Emperor Constantine, who ordered construction of the Basilica of Sant'Agnese Fuori le Mura over an underground cemetery.Today this temple houses the relics of the saint, transferred from the catacombs.

In the catacombs of St. Agnes, unlike other catacombs, there are no frescoes or paintings, but in several crypts you can see many ancient inscriptions.

The Catacombs of Saints Marcellinus and Peter (Italian: Catacombe dei Santi Marcellino e Pietro) are located in Rome on the ancient Via Labicana. The tunnels of this complex, built in the 2nd-3rd centuries, descend to a depth of 16 meters and cover an area of ​​18,000 m². The crypts of the underground cemetery are decorated with frescoes of biblical scenes.

The complex of the catacombs of Saints Marcellinus and Peter includes the basilica of the same name and the mausoleum of Helena.

Tourist information

*The excursion is included in the entrance ticket price.

There are over 60 catacombs in Rome. This is a system of underground passages, often reminiscent of labyrinths. The wall frescoes in the catacombs are optimistic and filled with belief in resurrection. Peace and tranquility reign here.

Catacombs of St. Agnessa

Catacombs of Domitilla

Catacombs of St. Sebastian

Villa Torlonia

Catacombs on Via Latina

Hypogeum of Vibia

Catacombs Ad Decimum

Christian catacombs

The oldest Christian catacombs date back to around 107 AD. The first Roman Christians were persecuted. To perform rituals and bury the dead according to religious canons, believers used abandoned tuff quarries.

Christians felt safe in the dungeons. They built prayer houses and burial chambers, dug new labyrinths, expanded existing corridors, and made niches in their walls. The width of the underground passages was about 1–1.5 m; the height reached 2.5 m. Niche-tombs were arranged on both sides of the corridors, in several tiers. One or more bodies were placed in each cavity, then the tombs were walled up with bricks and stone slabs. Exits and ventilation shafts opened from the dungeons onto the streets of Rome.

Since 312, by the will of Emperor Constantine, Christianity was declared a legal religion, and persecution of believers ceased. The catacombs became official and revered burial places. By the 5th century, they stopped burying underground, and even many of the remains were transferred to the churches of Rome; the Roman labyrinths fell into disrepair and were forgotten for a long time.

Catacombs of Priscilla

Catacombs of Saint Callistus

In the underground square “Little Vatican”, 9 popes who led the church in the 3rd century rested (in total, 16 pontiffs and more than 50 holy martyrs were buried in San Callisto). The most visited place in the catacombs is the crypt of Santa Cecilia - the tomb of the holy martyr Cecilia with well-preserved reliefs, frescoes and mosaics.

The total length of San Callisto's underground corridors accessible today is about 20 kilometers. Archaeological research has been carried out since the mid-19th century, but not all burials have been discovered yet.

How to get there

The entrance to the catacombs of San Callisto is located at Via Appia Antica, 110/126.

From Termini station you need to go:

• by metro A (direction Anagnina) or by bus 714 (direction Palazzo Sport) to Piazza di S. Giovanni in Laterano. Then take bus 218 to the Fosse Ardeatine stop;
• Take metro B (direction Laurentina) to the Circo Massimo stop.
  From the Circo Massimo stop or from the Terme Caracalla/Porta Capena stop, take bus 118 (direction Villa Dei Quintili) to the Catacombe di San Callisto stop.

Working hours

Thu-Tue 09:00 - 12:00 and 14:00 - 17:00.

Famous roman catacombs- These are ancient underground cemeteries, an echo of Jewish and Christian heritage. Most of them are carved in tufa and located outside the perimeter of the ancient walls of Rome (Aurelian Walls), since it was forbidden to bury the dead in the city center.

A unique historical journey along ancient routes

A visit to the catacombs of Rome is an exciting historical journey: tunnels and secret passages will tell you everything about the customs and ritual traditions of the ancient Romans. There are more than 60 catacombs and thousands of tombs in Rome and its surroundings, mostly located along ancient routes, e.g. Ostian and on via Nomentana roads. But only five Roman catacombs are open to tourists.

So here you go quick guide to discover these places with their mystical atmosphere:

1. Catacombs of St. Callistus.

Located on right side Appian Way next to a small church. They are one of the largest and most significant in Rome. Created in the 2nd century AD. uh, Catacombs of Saint Callistus are part of a burial complex covering an area of ​​15 hectares, with a labyrinth of long tunnels stretching 20 km. They reach a depth of 20 meters.

At the beginning of the 3rd century AD. e. these catacombs began to be considered the official cemetery of the Roman Church and became the tomb for dozens of martyrs, 16 popes and hundreds of Christians. The catacombs consist of many sections, one of which contains Crypt Pap, also called "little Vatican", because nine popes are buried here. Another section is Crypt of Saint Cecilia, who suffered martyrdom in the 3rd century AD. e. Above her burial there is an eerie sculpture depicting the headless body of the holy martyr after torture. A walking tour of the catacombs will give you an unforgettable experience exploring tombs, galleries and mysterious niches.

The catacombs are located in the southern part of Rome on the Appian Way. In the 2nd century AD e. they were used for pagan burials and were later adapted into a Christian cemetery. The catacombs were named after Holy Martyr Sebastian, who was buried here after his death (298 AD). This saint survived torture and was beaten to death, but did not renounce the Christian faith. The body was transported and buried in the catacombs.

A tour of the Catacombs of St. Sebastian consists of visiting four levels of burials. At the deepest underground level, frescoes from the 4th century depicting biblical episodes are preserved. The three mausoleums, located on a small nine-meter square, are also rich in wall paintings dating back to the 2nd century AD. e. There are many graves located in the narrow galleries of the catacombs. Each tomb is equipped with its own Chapel of Relics, in which there are all sorts of small things (busts of the Savior, lamps, coins, cups, necklaces, toys, etc.).

Tours of the Catacombs of Saint Domitilla are conducted with a professional guide and in small groups for safety reasons. If you're in Rome, be sure to explore it too underworld!

This is one of the oldest underground cemeteries in Rome, whose first burials date back to the 2nd century AD. Located opposite the Villa Ada (one of the largest parks in Rome with an area of ​​182 hectares), the catacombs are the tomb for seven popes (who died during the persecution of Christians), hundreds of Christian martyrs and Pope Sylvester I, in whose honor the basilica was built above the catacombs. The original center of the cemetery complex is the so-called “crypt-porch” and extensive 13-kilometer corridors. A steep staircase leads you into a labyrinth of tunnels with arched ceilings and tree roots sticking out from above. In the Greek chapel, the oldest image (approximately the 2nd century AD) of the Virgin Mary with a baby in her arms has been preserved. At the bottom of the catacombs there are images of the most important points the life of an unknown woman, whose identity has not yet been established. Priscilla's catacombs contain many more unsolved mysteries, which you can plunge into on a guided tour.

The catacombs are rightfully one of the most interesting places burials in Italy. Of course, the best of them are the catacombs of Rome. It was here that labyrinthine underground tunnels were used for centuries to bury thousands of bodies. The most famous site of these underground burials is the Old Appian Way. It was this area, located outside the city of Rome, that was used as a burial place for pagans and early Christians.

History of origin

On the Appian Way are the catacombs of St. Callistus, which were built in the mid-2nd century and today are one of the largest and most important in Rome. They are named after Deacon Callisto, who in 199 was appointed caretaker and custodian of the first official cemetery of the Church of Rome. During the twenty years that Callisto was in charge of the cemetery, he significantly expanded and improved the main areas of the dungeon.
In the third century, Callisto was chosen as the new pope. After his death, the cemetery was named in his honor, and Callisto himself was elevated to the rank of saint. It is noteworthy that he himself is not among the popes buried here.

Architecture

From the 2nd to 4th centuries, when Christianity was not accepted as a religion and there were terrible persecutions against its main adherents, the catacombs were used only for burials, and this period is characterized by simple, uncomplicated tablets and inscriptions. And most of the burials of that period are quite simple tombs, decorated with simple carvings. Beginning in the 4th century in the following years, Pope Damasius was able to obtain recognition of Christianity as the state religion from Emperor Theodosius, and decided to restore these catacombs. When the persecution ended, inscriptions became much more common, and many frescoes and mosaics appeared. Now not only was the person's name written on the tomb, but also a picture was drawn depicting his profession. So in the catacombs of St. Callistus you can see images of bakers, carpenters, tailors, teachers, lawyers, doctors, civil servants, military men and other drawings that clearly depict one or another profession. For a long time the catacombs were not only a place of burial, but also of pilgrimage. The crypt was abandoned only after the relics and relics of the saints contained in it were transferred to various churches in Rome. The final wave of transfers from the crypt occurred during the reign of Pope Sergius II in the 9th century.
Interest in the catacombs was revived only in the 15th century. Only in the 19th century did they once again begin to be valued as holy places and considered the main treasury of Christianity. Thanks to the founder of modern Christian archeology, Giovanni Batista de Rossi, in 1854 the catacombs of St. Callistus were discovered and thoroughly explored.
Today there are about half a million different burials in the catacombs. In general, the area of ​​the catacombs is about 15 hectares of land, with a length of 20 km. The maximum depth of the catacombs reaches 20 meters.
At the entrance to the catacombs you can see the crypt, which is called the “Little Vatican”; it is here that 9 popes and 8 church dignitaries are buried.
Next comes the crypt of St. Cecilia, who is considered the patroness of sacred music. The remains of this saint were transferred to the church back in 821. But today here you can see a beautiful sculpture, the work of Stefano Moderno, who thus decided to perpetuate the incorruptible body of the deceased girl.

Note to tourists

The catacombs are closed on Wednesdays and in February. On other days they work from 9-00 to 12-00; from 14-00 to 17-00.