London Mithraeum
Turning a silent ruin into a living story.
Overview
When the ruins of the Temple of Mithras were discovered beneath Bloomberg’s new headquarters, the foundation was preserved, but the structure itself was long gone. Viewing the low stone walls alone made it difficult to grasp the grandeur of the original temple. To truly understand this ancient mystery, visitors needed to experience the space as it stood in AD 240. We transformed the preservation of the ruins into a theatrical event. By combining structural light and haze with a rigorously researched soundscape of Latin chanting, we didn't just rebuild the walls—we reenacted the ceremony, allowing visitors to step inside the living history of the cult.
Partners
Studio Joseph, Electrosonic, Goppion
The Details
The experience is a narrative descent into the past. It begins with the everyday lives of Roman Londoners, told through 600 artifacts found in the mud, before leading visitors down to the temple floor, seven meters underground. There, the storytelling takes over. In a recurring performance, the temple "resurrects" itself from the darkness. As the sounds of the ritual intensify, walls of light pierce the haze, immersing visitors in the atmosphere of a secret society and turning a basement in the financial district into a ghost story from the 3rd Century.
