Visit London Mithraeum is one of London's hidden treasures.
A Roman temple nestled beneath the city, discover one of London's most important archaeological sites.
London Mithraeum: article summary
London Mithraeum: London's Roman temple
The Temple of Mithras is a reconstructed temple dedicated to Mithras. under Bloomberg's European headquarters in London.
Who was Mithra?
Admittedly, experts don't know much about Mithras. The cult that worshipped him was incredibly secretive. Only To date, four temples dedicated to Mithras have been discovered in the UK.
According to legend, Mithra was born from a rock in a cave and possessed impressive reserves of strength.
He was most famous for killing a divine bull and feeding mankind for the rest of eternity.
Originally a Perisian god, Roman soldiers began worshipping Mithras in a religion known as the Cult of Mithras.
It was a religion reserved for men and shrouded in secrecy. Only those initiated into the cult knew the full extent of its beliefs and practices.
The history of the London Mithraeum
The site lies on the course of one of London's lost rivers, the Walbrook. When the Romans founded the colony of Londinium around 47 AD, the river marked the city's outer limit.
However, this didn't last very long, as they gradually reclaimed the river land as the city grew.
A temple shrouded in mystery
The temple was finally built on this reclaimed land in the 3rd century AD. Again, no one knows exactly who built it, but they were probably a group of talented craftsmen at the height of Mithraism.
When the Romans left England, Londinium moved to present-day Covent Garden and the temple was forgotten, buried beneath the growing city until its rediscovery in 1954.
London Mithraeum: a recently updated site
The site was excavated by WF Grimes, Director of the Museum of London, with Audrey Willams. They had initially hoped that the temple was an early Christian church, but soon realized... that they had stumbled across a Roman treasure beneath the streets of London.
Why is the Temple of Mithras so well preserved??
In short, the waterlogged nature of the Walbrook River provided the perfect conditions to preserve many of the artifacts on display in the Mithraeum, as well as in the temple itself.
More Roman artefacts were found here than at any other archaeological site in the city. They also found over 50,000 shards of pottery and several tons of animal bones. No need to worry, you'll see plenty of them on your visit to the Temple of Mithras.
Why visit the Mithraeum?
Apart from the surreal nature of the experience, you must visit, if only to appreciate the skill and hard work involved in restoring the temple.
The Mithraeum is divided into three levels, with the Temple at the lowest of the three. The other levels feature displays of Roman artifacts and information on the cult of Mithras and how they rebuilt the temple.
The upper level, Bloomberg SPACE, features modern artworks and a selection of the many Roman artefacts found on the site.
Each level takes you to a different part of London's history. This is a fascinating walk through the London of yesteryear.
The ruins are interesting, but it's the evocation of what would have been inside the Temple of Mithras that really brings it to life.
London Mithraeum: a timed entrance
The entrance to the temple is timed so that visitors can experience the complete installation. The atmosphere is unusual and very convincing.
The emblematic image of Mithras slaying the bull stands at the center of the temple, progressively illuminated by rays of light as you move through the installation.
How to visit the Temple of Mithras?
Visiting London's Mithraeum museum is free, but you must book your visit to ensure entry to the temple, which is only available via timed, paid tours.
What are our opening hours??
You can visit us on site:
- Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- First Thursday of the month 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The London Mithraeum is an archaeological gem in central London. During your visit, you'll be able to stroll through this thousand-year-old site and discover enjoy a journey through the city's past.