In Ancient Roman architecture a cryptoporticus (from Latin and portico) is a covered corridor or passageway.
On sloping sites the open side of a cryptoporticus is often partially at ground level and supports a structure such as a forum or Roman villa, in which case it served as basis villae. It is often vaulted and lit by openings in the vault. In the letters of Pliny the Younger,[Pliny, Epistles ii.17.16ff; v.6.27-28; vii.21.2;ix.36.3.] the term is used as a synonym of crypt. The shade and semi-excavated site of a cryptoportico provided cool and moderated temperatures useful for storage of perishables, while it offered a level and slightly raised podium for the superstructure.
Examples
Coimbra
The
cryptoporticus of
Coimbra, the old Roman city of
Aeminium, was built to create an artificial platform over which the city's forum could be built. Later, the Bishop's Palace (still standing today as Machado de Castro National Museum) was built using the platform created by the structure thus preserving it in perfect condition.
Arles
The
cryptoporticus of
Arles, dating from the 1st century BC was built as foundation for the forum, which has since been replaced by the Chapel of the
Jesuits College and the
Town hall. Three double, parallel tunnels arranged in the form of a U are supported by fifty
.
Stonemasonry marks on the stonework indicate that it was built by Greeks, probably from
Marseille. Similar structures in
Narbonne,
Reims, and
Bavay were used as
granary. The
cryptoporticus at Arles is, however, too damp for prolonged storage and may have served as a
barracks for public
slavery. The
cryptoporticus of Arles is listed as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, together with other Roman buildings of the city, as part of the Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments group.
Reims
The
cryptoporticus of
Reims, formerly enclosing three sides of the forum, is of Gallo-Roman origin and was probably built during the 3rd century. Today, only its Eastern part remains, but this is unusually well preserved for a Gallo-Roman structure.
Other places
Other well-known examples include the
cryptoporticus of Hadrian's Villa and that of the House of the Cryptoporticus in
Pompeii. A well-preserved
cryptoporticus is also located at the Papal Summer Residence in
Castel Gandolfo, Italy. In
Rome, a
cryptoporticus is located in the Catacomb of Priscilla, a remnant from a large
Roman villa.
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