Visit the spooky cemeteries in Rome

Halloween is here and you are in the “Eternal City”?

You don’t know what to do and you don’t want to miss the chance to celebrate?

If you want to spend the day among mysterious places full of stories that will leave you breathless, then you’re in the right place, read on! You will visit the spooky cemeteries in Rome!

Church of Santa Maria dell’Orazione e Morte: the underground cemetery

At the Rione Regola, you will find a very particular and spooky building. The Church of Santa Maria dell’Orazione e Morte.

The church hosts the Arciconfraternita Cemetery, established in 1552.

Here the friars buried all the bodies found in the “eternal city” and not recognized by anyone.

The cemetery was destroyed in 1896, with the construction of the walls of the Tiber and only the Crypt was preserved.

Inside there are the remains of 8.000 corpses that were used to decorate the interiors of the Crypt itself. Disturbing isn’t it?

The church is located in Via Giulia n. 262, from Termini Station take bus n. 40 and get off at the “Chiesa Nuova” stop and you’ll be there in just 5 minutes on foot!

Here at the official website, you will find all the necessary information

The Church of Santa Maria Immacolata in Via Veneto: the crypt

The Crypt by Tessier – Wikimedia Commons

Once you reach the Barberini metro stop, near the main exit in Via Vento, you will find the Church of Santa Maria Immacolata.

The Church was built between 1626 and 1631 and is characterized by a small nave and ten side chapels.

Here you will surely find something that will leave you speechless.

A crypt totally decorated with the bones of about 4,000 Capuchin friars collected from the old cemetery belonging to the order of the Capuchins.

From Termini Station take the Metro A direction Anagnina and get off at the Barberini stop!

The church is open Monday-Saturday 7-13.00 – 15.00 – 18.00 and Sunday 9.30-12.00 in the afternoon 15.30-18.00.

Here you will find all the information about the Church!

The Catacombs of San Sebastiano

Along the Via Appia Antica exactly in the Ardeatino district, you can admire the Catacombs of San Sebastiano.

This place was used as a pagan cemetery and later by Christians.

Characterized by the presence of three levels, scholars believe that the remains of the apostles Peter and Paul were laid here.

From the Basilicata you can go down to the Catacombs, passing through a series of tunnels decorated with refined paintings and stuccos.

Through their website, you can book a guided tour.

The ticket price is € 8, the church is open Monday to Saturday 10:00 – 16:30 with the last admission at 16.30 and closing at 17.00

Take the Metro A direction Anagnina and get off at the Re di Roma stop and in a minute you will be there!

The non-Catholic cemetery

In the Testaccio district, near Porta San Paolo, next to the Cestia Pyramid you can find the Protestant cemetery of Rome.

Here many foreign poets and prominent non-Catholic personalities have been buried inside, without distinction of nationality.

If you want to experience the thrill, I advise you to stop by and find Shelley’s tomb. The husband of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, author of the novel Frankenstein.

It is said that the man was buried in Rome, but his heart was preserved by his wife Mary Shelley and then buried with her in England.

Here you will find all the information you need.

 You must book the visit at least 10 days in advance.

Entrance Time: Monday – Saturday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (last admission 4:30 pm) and Sunday 9.00 – 13.00 (last admission 12.30).

Get the Underground B and stop at Piramide!

Crypt of the Popes: the catacombs of San Callisto

Catacombs of San Callisto by DNLAOR 01 – WikimediaCommons

If you do not want to miss the opportunity to admire the largest catacombs of Rome then you must visit the Catacombs of San Callisto.

The original structure was built in the 2nd century and during time about half a million Christians and over fifty martyrs and sixteen pontiffs were buried there, for this reason it is also known as the “Crypt of the Popes“.

In their website, you will find all the information about the crypt,

Here you can book the tour of the crypt.

The crypt is closed on Wednesday. You can visit the building from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 17.00

Take bus 714 from Termini Station and get off at the stop Navigatori and with a short walk, you’ll be there!

Crypt of the Sacconi Rossi

The Sacconi Rossi Brotherhood established in 1760 collected abandoned corpses drowned in the Tiber and only if no one claimed them.

The Brotherhood was initially welcomed in the Basilica of San Bartolomeo on the Isola Tiberina. But later in 1780, the Friars bought a room used as a warehouse.

The room was located on the ground floor of the left-wing of the Convent and they turned it into an oratory.

Even today you can admire the decorations of the walls and niches made using the bones of the corpses.

With the  Kingdom of Italy, the regulation of health changed. On 25 February 1871 the cemeteries, including that of the Sacconi Rossi, were definitively closed.

In 1960 the Brotherhood was definitively closed.

If you want to admire the Church of San Bartolomeo all’Isola and the crypt of the Sacconi Rossi HERE on the website you will find all the information.

The Church is open from  Monday to Saturday 09: 30-13.30 / 15: 30-17.30. Take the H bus from Termini Station and get off at the Foro Olitorio stop.

St. Peter’s Necropolis

Mosaic in the Necropolis by Tablar – Wikimedia Commons

Below the Basilica of San Pietro, you will find a Necropolis, located ten meters deep. This was a very vast funeral area buried when Constantine had the Vatican Hill flattened.

The necropolis is 12 to 5 meters deep compared to the current basilica level. Part of it is still buried and unexplored, in fact, the excavations have not brought to light the whole necropolis yet.

Here you will find all the information about this spooky necropolis.

You can visit the necropolis from Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm and Saturday: 9:00 – 17:00.

Cost of the individual ticket: € 13.00, including the presence of a specialized guide.

The storage of backpacks and bulky objects is provided.