London Mithraeum
(Bloomberg Building) A reconstructed 3rd-century Roman temple to the god Mithras, discovered in 1954.Features immersive displays of artifacts and rituals tied to Londinium’s mercantile past.
London’s Mithraeum, rediscovered in 1954, is fascinating for its underground, cave-like design reflecting the cult’s origins, its builder (likely veteran Ulpius Silvanus), its use by an all-male mystery cult popular with soldiers and merchants, and its surprising architectural link to early Christian churches, all located beneath Bloomberg’s HQ over a lost Roman river, the Walbrook
Address: London Mithraeum, Bloomberg SPACE, 12 Walbrook, London EC4N 8AA
How to Find:
Next door to the Bank station on Walbrook - easy to walk past it!
Interesting Facts:
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Lost River SettingThe temple was built on reclaimed land next to the Walbrook, a lost river in Roman London, giving it a damp, underground feel that mirrored Mithras's myth.
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Secretive All-Male CultIt was a temple for a mystery religion, popular with soldiers, merchants, and civil servants, where men underwent secret initiation rituals.
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Builder's VowAn inscription suggests an army veteran, Ulpius Silvanus, built it to fulfill a vow, making him a potential builder.
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Discovery & Public FrenzyFound during WWII reconstruction, its 1954 unveiling drew 400,000 visitors in two weeks, a huge sensation for the time.
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Architectural Link to ChristianityIts nave-and-aisle design leading to an apse is a precursor to the traditional Christian church layout, notes Britain Express.
