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7 metres under Bloomberg's European HQ is a Roman temple you can visit free. Tomorrow, Thu 5 Nov, it's open until 8pm.

A Roman temple to Mithras, identified in 1954 and rebuilt close to where it was found at 12 Walbrook. Its story and free entry hours.

The reconstructed Roman temple of Mithras in a dark room, its low walls lit from below, with an outline of Mithras etched on glass at the far end. Text: A Roman temple 7 metres under Bloomberg. Free, open till 8pm Thursday.The marble head of Mithras in a Phrygian cap, the top of the cap rough and damaged, against a plain beige background. Text: Head of Mithras. Found on the dig's last planned day, 1954.A round marble relief of Mithras killing a bull, framed by a circle of zodiac signs. Text: Mithras killing a bull. The scene at the heart of his cult.A close view of the reconstructed temple's low brick and stone walls, lit from below, with the outline of Mithras etched on a glass screen behind. Text: Rebuilt 7 metres down. Close to where it was found.A wall-sized display case of Roman finds: pottery, tiles, tools and fragments on pale grey shelves. Text: More than 14,000 finds from the 2012 to 2014 dig.How to visit, with a street map showing the London Mithraeum between St Paul's, Bank and Cannon Street. Text: Open until 8pm on Thu 5 Nov. 12 Walbrook, by Bank. Free. Booking encouraged.

6 slides. Swipe or scroll sideways. .

On the last planned day of the 1954 dig, a marble head of Mithras turned up and showed whose temple this was. Today's recreation of the ruin sits just west of where it was found. We'd stay for the haze and chanting.

Over 400 Roman writing tablet fragments came from the site, one with the first known mention of London.

London Mithraeum, 12 Walbrook, EC4N 8AA. Free, but book to be sure of a place. Tue to Sat 10am to 6pm (Wed in term time from 12:30pm), Sun noon to 5pm, closed Mondays.

Sources: London Mithraeum and MOLA, checked 2 Nov. Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each slide, cropped and adjusted (details and licences: cityoflondon.live/credits), shared under the same licences. We're independent, not connected with the City of London Corporation or Bloomberg.

Slide by slide.

  1. The reconstructed Roman temple of Mithras in a dark room, its low walls lit from below, with an outline of Mithras etched on glass at the far end. Text: A Roman temple 7 metres under Bloomberg. Free, open till 8pm Thursday.
  2. The marble head of Mithras in a Phrygian cap, the top of the cap rough and damaged, against a plain beige background. Text: Head of Mithras. Found on the dig's last planned day, 1954.
  3. A round marble relief of Mithras killing a bull, framed by a circle of zodiac signs. Text: Mithras killing a bull. The scene at the heart of his cult.
  4. A close view of the reconstructed temple's low brick and stone walls, lit from below, with the outline of Mithras etched on a glass screen behind. Text: Rebuilt 7 metres down. Close to where it was found.
  5. A wall-sized display case of Roman finds: pottery, tiles, tools and fragments on pale grey shelves. Text: More than 14,000 finds from the 2012 to 2014 dig.
  6. How to visit, with a street map showing the London Mithraeum between St Paul's, Bank and Cannon Street. Text: Open until 8pm on Thu 5 Nov. 12 Walbrook, by Bank. Free. Booking encouraged.
Sources (12)