Visit the London Mithras Temple - Enter the ancient London underground

London is the proud capital of the United Kingdom, visited by millions of tourists every year and renowned for its rich history and historic landmarks. Magnificent castles, medieval prisons, art and history museums, and countless shopping and dining opportunities make visitors feel like there's always something new to explore - even if you stay for several weeks. The history of medieval kings and queens is of particular interest to many visitors to London and throughout the UK, and the Tower of London is a must-see for every first-time visitor to London. However, the city's origins in London are much older, dating back centuries before Henry VIII and his six wives, and traces of this forgotten world can still be seen in several parts of the city. In this article we will explore the ancient underground temple known as the London Mithrasm.

The city, known in ancient times as Londinium, was founded by the Romans after they conquered the island in AD 43, and it became one of the most important towns in Roman Britain. One of the best-preserved sites of the time is the London Mithrasm, an underground temple dedicated to Mithras, a god brought to Britain from the easternmost reaches of the empire through the Roman world. The Temple of Mithras is located in central London at a museum called Bloomberg Space, which is located within the Bloomberg European headquarters building.

London and Mithraism

After the Roman emperor Claudius (r. 41-54 AD) and his legions conquered the British Isles now known as England A settlement called Londinium was established along the banks of the Thames, with a bridge accessing the land south of the river. The settlement expanded rapidly from the late 1st century AD, becoming the largest city and important trading port in Roman Britain. During the Roman period (until the 5th century AD), many changes occurred in British society and culture, including engineering and architecture, politics, trade, and religion and practice. Changes in religious practices included adaptations of new gods and goddesses from the Roman pantheon, as well as additional deities from other parts of the empire. Among them, archaeologists have discovered the remains of temples dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis and the Persian sun god Mithras.

The MITHRAEUM in London was built around 240 AD on the banks of the River Walbrook where the museum now stands.

The cult of Mithras first appeared in Rome in the 1st century AD and spread throughout the empire. The cult remains shrouded in mystery to modern scholars, as there are few written records of the beliefs and procedures. What is known is a patchwork of archaeological finds and some writings by Christian writers.

The cult of Mithras was the most prominent of the new Eastern religious movements established in Britain during the Roman era, with Mithras found in London, Caraburg, Inveresk, Caerleon and Seguntium. Temple of Ras (Sanctuary of Mithras). The male-only cult originated in Persia and involved the worship of the sun god Mithras. Mithraism was an exclusive cult whose members had to possess the same physical and endurance qualities as Mithraism, and members also seem to have come mainly from the upper echelons of society; military officers and wealthy merchants. It is also believed that members of the cult were concerned with astrology, and idols and figures of different zodiac signs were found in the temples of Mithras. Mithras' legacy is his fight with the great sacred bull. Sent by the Iranian creator Ahura Mazada to kill a cow in a cave, Mithras succeeded in killing the earth and humans with the help of cow blood.

In the first century Roman Christians viewed CE Mithrai *** as dangerous rivals as they were both monotheistic religions celebrating the sun/son sent by the Creator God to bring about Come to redeem and guide and teach people to the right path. However, there is one clear difference - Mithraism was a dualistic religion, while some Christian sects, such as the Gnostics, were also dualistic, as the "victorious" church the victorious Roman Church was strictly monotheistic, not The evil god is equally powerful and independent as the creator god. Mithras was the god of light, but he also contained some of the darkness in the universe.

TAUROCTONY depicts MITHRAS killing the bull - a central symbol of the cult

For example, Mithras was born in a dark underground cave where many of the Mithras symbolized this cave. In these underground temples, sacred rituals are performed in darkness, illuminated only by candlelight. The Mithraeum in London was built on the banks of the River Walbrook around 240 AD, and the site where the museum now stands - was abandoned during the decline of the Roman Empire (5th century AD)

The Holy Land under the Bloomberg Building

London's Mithrasm is one of the best-preserved temples in the UK, and after years of conservation and research, the site is finally open to visitors. The site was first discovered in 1954 during excavation and conservation work on buildings that had been bombed during World War II. Some of the temples and artefacts were previously on display, but now most of the remains and objects are back in their original locations, as close as possible to the experience of nearly 2,000 years ago.

The museum is an inspiring concept and the owners of the superstructure have taken upon themselves the responsibility of preserving the site and making it accessible to the public. This results in a museum with free admission (although you must reserve a time to enter) and a modern museum that uses the latest visualization technology. The perfect combination of ancient history, commerce and technology!

Entering the museum on the ground floor of a tall office building feels more like entering a business meeting than a ruins buried underground for thousands of years. The first thing you can study upon entering the museum space is a wall displaying several Roman artifacts found on site. These include clay pots, writing tablets - some of the oldest found in Britain, mosaics, coins and more. You can use one of the many tablets available to visitors to learn more about a specific project and its history. There are also worksheets for children, making this museum a fun experience for the whole family!

Once you have studied the objects and learned more about life in Roman Londinium, you will walk down the steps and down to the middle level of the museum. Here you can learn more about Mithraism by studying reconstructions of the site's three central objects; the ruins of the Mithras Temple, the bull-headed statue and the model of Mithras' head.

The tauroctony depicts Mithras killing a bull, a central symbol of the cult. In the scene, Mithras turns his head as he kills the bull, and scholars still debate whether the scene depicts battle or sacrifice. This scene and icon would have been an important part of the main altar of the Temple of Mithras - the original sculpture is now on display at the Museum of London.

The reconstruction of the head of Mithras is based on a sculpture found at the site in 1954 AD (now on display in the Museum of London). The head of the young god is believed to be part of a large sculpture depicting a scene of cow slaughter. Like most images, Mithras wears his soft, conical "Phrygian hat," which originated in Phrygia (now Turkey).

A deeper understanding of this mysterious site can also be gained by studying the model of the temple made by archaeologists during the excavations (the original is also in the Museum of London). The temple consists of a central nave and side aisles separated by seven pairs of columns. Some believe the pillars represent the seven levels of entry into the cult: Crow, Male Bride, Soldier, Lion, Persian, Sun Messenger, and Father. At the end of the nave is the altar with the tauroctony icon. You can also see the outline of the well located in one of the side channels. The well provided water for rituals and celebrations and is one of the few surviving ceremonial features at the site.

Little is known about the actual religious activities in the temples, but they likely included sacrifices, feasts, and purification rituals.

Finally it was time to visit the temple. When you're ready, museum organizers will break you into small groups every 20 minutes. Entering the temple, it was pitch black. Then an interactive sequence begins, designed to stimulate your different senses and make you feel like you're back in time 1800 years ago. As the sequence begins, ritual greetings between the father (father) and cult members can be heard while the lights gradually turn on. In front of you, the ruins of the temple become more and more visible, giving you the feeling of truly visiting an underground sacred temple.

Once the sequence is complete, you are free to walk around, explore the site and study features you previously learned about in the museum. Little is known about the actual religious activities in the temples, but they likely included sacrifices, feasts, and purification rituals. It is believed that the banquets and ceremonies were elaborate and some members may have worn special clothes and possibly masks. When standing inside the temple, only imagination limits the vision of the rituals that might have taken place underground nearly 2,000 years ago.

The London Stone

After visiting the London Mithras Temple, on your way to lunch or to visit the Tower of London, there is one more thing you should see before leaving the area A mysterious artifact and another not often visited by tourists. Just around the corner from the Bloomberg Building, on Cannon Street, you can see the London Stone. The stone's origins are unknown, but its importance as a landmark in London's long history is almost unparalleled, especially when one considers the stone's simplicity. Neither historians nor scientists have been able to trace the stone's original use, but countless legends are associated with this oolitic limestone - including that its "survival" and preservation were crucial to the continued existence of the city itself.