{"id":1610,"date":"2011-10-26T18:31:28","date_gmt":"2011-10-26T16:31:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/walks.friday.ie\/?p=1610"},"modified":"2025-09-17T14:36:21","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T13:36:21","slug":"spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy","title":{"rendered":"7 Haunted Places in Italy: Crypts, Catacombs, Cemeteries &#038; More"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Crypts, catacombs, torture chambers, and other creepy sights&#8230; Turns out, there&#8217;s way more to Italy than pretty art and delicious food. Here&#8217;s our list of some of the creepiest, most haunted places in Italy. Warning: Don&#8217;t read on unless you&#8217;re prepared to be truly spooked.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10367\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10367\" class=\"wp-image-10367 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Catacombs_Special-Access-Model-1_SM-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Catacombs_Special-Access-Model-1_SM-copy.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Catacombs_Special-Access-Model-1_SM-copy-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-10367\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">From crypts to cemeteries, there are truly some bone-chilling sights in Italy!<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#Catacombs_in_Italy\" >Catacombs in Italy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#The_Christian_Catacombs_of_Rome\" >The Christian Catacombs of Rome<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#Naples_San_Gaudioso_Catacombs\" >Naples&#8217; San Gaudioso Catacombs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#Crypts_in_Italy\" >Crypts in Italy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#Romes_Capuchin_Crypt\" >Rome&#8217;s Capuchin Crypt<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#Palermos_Capuchin_Crypt_Catacombe_dei_Cappuccini\" >Palermo&#8217;s Capuchin Crypt (Catacombe dei Cappuccini)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#Other_haunted_places_in_Italy\" >Other haunted places in Italy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#Inquisition_torture_chambers_in_Narni\" >Inquisition torture chambers in Narni<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#Venices_Poveglia_Island\" >Venice&#8217;s Poveglia Island<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#The_Fontanelle_Cemetery_of_Naples\" >The Fontanelle Cemetery of Naples<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#FAQ_%E2%80%93_Haunted_Places_in_Italy\" >FAQ &#8211; Haunted Places in Italy<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#What_are_the_most_haunted_places_in_Italy\" >What are the most haunted places in Italy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#Can_I_explore_Poveglia_Island_on_my_own\" >Can I explore Poveglia Island on my own?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/spookiest-catacombs-capuchin-crypt-torture-cells-italy\/#What_happened_at_the_Inquisition_torture_chambers_in_Narni\" >What happened at the Inquisition torture chambers in Narni?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Catacombs_in_Italy\"><\/span>Catacombs in Italy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Christian_Catacombs_of_Rome\"><\/span><strong>The Christian Catacombs of Rome<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In the first century, Italy&#8217;s Christians could either bury their dead in pagan cemeteries or\u00a0illegally bury them in underground cemeteries on Christian-owned land. This is how the Catacombs of St. Callixtus along the Appian Way were formed, with a bit of money and help from the burgeoning Catholic Church.\u00a0Now, the catacombs of St. Callixtus are\u00a0one of the largest and most important <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/rome-tours\/rome-catacombs-tour\/\"><strong>catacomb complexes in Rome.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Named after the deacon Callixtus, the catacombs house more popes than any other \u2013 up to 16! \u2013 as well as martyrs and hundreds of Christians. A half hour tour will lead you deep under the earth. This tour is not for the easily claustrophobic though: the tombs of Rome&#8217;s ancient Christians line the narrow corridors and stretch for miles!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_8934\" style=\"width: 1010px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8934\" class=\"wp-image-8934 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/RomeCatacombs-7-copy.jpg\" alt=\"The passageway of a Roman Catacomb.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/RomeCatacombs-7-copy.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/RomeCatacombs-7-copy-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-8934\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The passageway of a Roman Catacomb.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Naples_San_Gaudioso_Catacombs\"><\/span>Naples&#8217; San Gaudioso Catacombs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There are plenty of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/things-to-do\/naples-underground\">underground sights in Naples<\/a>, that make the list of haunted places in Italy, including the <a href=\"https:\/\/catacombedinapoli.it\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">San Gaudioso Catacombs<\/a>. Although they go back to ancient Roman times, the catacombs didn&#8217;t get <em>really <\/em>creepy until the 17th century, when they were taken over by particularly macabre monks. Corpses would be sat into a carved-out niche with a hole, letting their body fluids drain out. Once a corpse had decomposed, it would be decapitated and the skull\u2014along with, sometimes, other bones, like vertebrae\u2014cemented to a wall to decorate a fresco of the corpse.<\/p>\n<p>The frescoes, and skulls, are still there. And since this is one of Naples&#8217; least-visited catacombs, there&#8217;s nothing like walking through the dripping, dark, and bone-decorated gloom&#8230; alone with your guide.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18167\" style=\"width: 1290px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18167\" class=\"wp-image-18167 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Catacombe_di_San_Gaudioso_Napoli_02.jpg\" alt=\"Naples underground tour with Catacombs of San Gaudioso\" width=\"1280\" height=\"853\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Catacombe_di_San_Gaudioso_Napoli_02.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Catacombe_di_San_Gaudioso_Napoli_02-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-18167\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Catacombs of San Gaudioso include both early Christian iconography &#8211; such as fish, the lamb, and grapes with branches &#8211; as well as 17th century elements. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=71225539\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fabien Bi\u00e8vre-Perrin<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Crypts_in_Italy\"><\/span>Crypts in Italy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Romes_Capuchin_Crypt\"><\/span><strong>Rome&#8217;s Capuchin Crypt<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/museoecriptacappuccini.it\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">small crypt<\/a>&#8211; frequently referred to as the &#8220;bone chapel&#8221; &#8211; is decorated with the bones of nearly 4,000 skeletons, likely those of Capuchin friars.\u00a0\u00a0The bones cover the walls floor to ceiling, nailed there in patterns and designs. Some serve as a frame to a sort of altar, while others hang from the ceiling as light fixtures.<\/p>\n<p>The area has several tiny chapels making up different crypts, four of which are named after various bones in the human body (how&#8217;d you like to tour the Crypt of the Skull or Crypt of the Pelvises?). End your tour with the Crypt of the Three Skeletons, which dramatically \u2013 and a bit creepily \u2013 represent life, death and the Final Judgement of humans upon their death. A sign in five languages states it best: &#8220;What you are now we used to be; what we are now you will be&#8230;&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17664\" style=\"width: 1212px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17664\" class=\"wp-image-17664\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/rome-catacombs-tour-hero_min.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1202\" height=\"609\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17664\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">You can see some of the most haunted places in Italy while in Rome.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Palermos_Capuchin_Crypt_Catacombe_dei_Cappuccini\"><\/span>Palermo&#8217;s Capuchin Crypt (Catacombe dei Cappuccini)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The Capuchin Crypt in Rome has <em>nothing <\/em>on its Sicilian cousin, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.catacombefraticappuccini.com\/it_it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Catacombe dei Cappuccini<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0In Palermo, the Capuchin monks mummified more than 8,000 corpses with the utmost care. They drained the bodies, washed them with vinegar, stuffed them with straw, and then dressed them in their clothes and placed them in the catacomb&#8217;s corridors. Today&#8217;s visitors find the mummies sitting, standing, or reenacting scenes from life, like rocking in a chair or &#8220;chatting&#8221; to another corpse.<\/p>\n<p>The result? Today, the bodies of everyone from babies to cardinals line every wall of the caverns. They&#8217;re in all states of decay. One little girl is so well-preserved, she looks as if she&#8217;s sleeping\u2014even though she was interred in 1920. It&#8217;s hardly surprising that, when one of our co-founders visited Palermo&#8217;s Capuchin crypt, he felt so freaked out he had to leave! Think you can handle it?<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1615\" style=\"width: 290px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/palermo-capuchin-book.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1615\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1615 \" title=\"Book about Capuchin crypt of Palermo, Sicily\" src=\"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/palermo-capuchin-book.jpg\" alt=\"One of the spookiest, creepiest catacombs in Italy\" width=\"280\" height=\"385\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1615\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of 8,000 corpses at the Capuchin crypt in Palermo, one of the most haunted places in Italy.<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Other_haunted_places_in_Italy\"><\/span>Other haunted places in Italy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Inquisition_torture_chambers_in_Narni\"><\/span>Inquisition torture chambers in Narni<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div>\n<p>In almost all respects, Narni seems lovely and peaceful, a medieval hilltop town overlooking the rolling hills of Umbria. That&#8217;s until you enter Santa Maria Maggiore. Hidden underneath this 14th-century Dominican church lie a series of underground rooms&#8230; that once served as cells for the trials, tortures and imprisonments of the Inquisition.<\/p>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nbgu5okgx5c.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"877\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-23877\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nbgu5okgx5c.jpg\" alt=\"white and brown concrete building near green trees during daytime\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nbgu5okgx5c.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nbgu5okgx5c-768x421.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/nbgu5okgx5c-1536x842.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Used from 1650 all the way until 1860 (!), the cells were forgotten for years afterwards. Then 20-year-old Roberto Nini discovered them by accident in 1979, when he checked out a crack in a neighbor&#8217;s house&#8230; and wound up in a lost medieval chapel underneath the present-day church. Next door? The inquisition chambers. To piece it all together, Nini embarked on a Dan Brown-like expedition that took him to the Vatican&#8217;s librahe former Holy Inquisition Office, and the secret archives of the former Holy Inquisition Office.<\/p>\n<p>Today, you can go below ground to see the torture chamber, with racks and other instruments that would have been used on display. The most heart-wrenching, though, is the &#8220;Room of Torments,&#8221; a tiny cell completely covered in symbols, prayers and codes. Most were done in 1759 by one of the guardians of Spoleto\u2019s Inquisition jails, a Freemason who had been accused of freeing a prisoner.<\/p>\n<p>If that&#8217;s not spooky enough, in December 2005, an earthquake broke open the floor of the church. Beneath it? The skeletons of men, women, and children.<\/p>\n<p><em>You can visit the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.narnisotterranea.it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Narni Underground<\/a> year-round on scheduled tours.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div id=\"attachment_1619\" style=\"width: 239px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/Na-S-Angelo-graffiti-cell.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1619\" class=\" wp-image-1619\" title=\"Spooky inquisition cell in Narni\" src=\"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/10\/Na-S-Angelo-graffiti-cell.jpg\" alt=\"Prison underground in Italy\" width=\"229\" height=\"278\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1619\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The haunting (and haunted?) Inquisition cell in Narni. Photo courtesy of Narni Sotterranea.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Venices_Poveglia_Island\"><\/span>Venice&#8217;s Poveglia Island<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Lots of myths surround Poveglia, an abandoned island in the Venetian lagoon. What we know: In the 15th century, Poveglia became Venice&#8217;s quarantine island. Anyone with symptoms of disease\u2014particulary the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/art-culture\/black-death-venice\">devastating Black Plague<\/a>\u2014had to bide their time here. The island also would have served as a graveyard for the unluckiest of the quarantined; at the island of Lazzaretto Nuovo, also used for quarantine, mass graves with thousands of plague victims&#8217; skeletons have been found. At Poveglia, they&#8217;re still undiscovered and unmarked.<\/p>\n<p>Making Poveglia even creepier than Lazzaretto Nuovo, though, is that a mental institution was built here in 1922. Psychiatric medicine wasn&#8217;t exactly forgiving 100 years ago. As the barred windows that still remain on the island illustrate, those held here have felt like they were prisoners as much as patients. Today, the island, and its buildings, have been completely abandoned. And tourists aren&#8217;t supposed to set foot on it.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s creepy enough for us. But the legends are even worse; it&#8217;s said that one of the doctors at the mental asylum tortured patients in the lone belltower and was strangled to death by a &#8220;ghostly mist.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Although Poveglia Island is technically off-limits (unless you can find a particularly daring water taxi driver), you can visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lazzarettonuovo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lazzaretto Nuovo<\/a>, another main quarantine island, which has just been opened to visitors.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_12863\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12863\" class=\"wp-image-12863\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/1280px-Poveglia_Closeup_of_Hospital.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/1280px-Poveglia_Closeup_of_Hospital.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/1280px-Poveglia_Closeup_of_Hospital-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-12863\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Poveglia, and it&#8217;s old hospital, pictured here, just maybe the spookiest island in Italy&#8230;<\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Fontanelle_Cemetery_of_Naples\"><\/span>The Fontanelle Cemetery of Naples<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When Naples started running out of room to bury its dead in the 16th century, undertakers started moving bones into a cave just beyond the city walls. The cemetery got its big boost in 1656, when plague swept Naples. Thousands of corpses were piled into the cave. Later, it became a boneyard for paupers, with a huge swell of corpses deposited during 1837&#8217;s cholera epidemic. Today, the remains of an estimated 40,000 people linger in the cave, although thousands more are thought to be buried beneath the surface.<\/p>\n<p>In 1872, Father Gaetano Barbati decided it was time to clean up the cave. He and his followers organized and catalogued the bones. But here&#8217;s where it gets really creepy; they also inspired a cult of devotion to the dead. Volunteers weren&#8217;t just cleaning skulls. They also were praying to them and asking them for favors.<\/p>\n<p>In 1969, the Archbishop of Naples closed the Fontanelle Cemetery down, worrying it had become a fetishist cult. The cave only reopened to the public full-time in 2010&#8230; and it remains filled with the bones and skulls of 40,000 nameless. Think you&#8217;re up for a visit? You can find the Fontanelle Cemetery at Via Fontanelle 80.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_22569\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22569\" class=\"wp-image-22569 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skulls-catacombs.jpg\" alt=\"Various skulls lined up on a cross hanging on a wall, skulls like this can be found in many haunted places in Italy. \" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skulls-catacombs.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/skulls-catacombs-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-22569\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Some sections of the cemetery can be incredibly creepy.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ_%E2%80%93_Haunted_Places_in_Italy\"><\/span>FAQ &#8211; Haunted Places in Italy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_most_haunted_places_in_Italy\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"37\" data-end=\"83\">What are the most haunted places in Italy?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Some of the creepiest haunted places in Italy include the Catacombs of St. Callixtus in Rome, Naples&#8217; San Gaudioso Catacombs, the Capuchin Crypts in Rome and Palermo, Narni\u2019s Inquisition torture chambers, Poveglia Island in Venice, and the Fontanelle Cemetery in Naples.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_explore_Poveglia_Island_on_my_own\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"3475\" data-end=\"3519\">Can I explore Poveglia Island on my own?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No, Poveglia Island is off-limits to the public, and it is illegal to visit without special permission. However, some adventurous visitors may find local guides willing to take them to the nearby quarantine island of Lazzaretto Nuovo, which also offers a glimpse into the region&#8217;s eerie history.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happened_at_the_Inquisition_torture_chambers_in_Narni\"><\/span><strong data-start=\"1497\" data-end=\"1560\">What happened at the Inquisition torture chambers in Narni?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Beneath the 14th-century Santa Maria Maggiore church in Narni, visitors can explore rooms that once served as cells for the Inquisition. These dark, damp chambers were used for trials, torture, and imprisonment. One of the most eerie rooms is the &#8220;Room of Torments,&#8221; covered in disturbing symbols and prayers.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ready to step inside Rome\u2019s catacombs for an experience you\u2019ll never forget? Join our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/rome-tours\/rome-catacombs-tour\/\">Rome Catacombs and underground aqueducts tour\u00a0<\/a> to see these historic sites without the crowds. With transport between sites, we take the hassle out of your visit.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Crypts, catacombs, torture chambers, and other creepy sights&#8230; Turns out, there&#8217;s way more to Italy than pretty art and delicious food. Here&#8217;s our list of some of the creepiest, most haunted places in Italy. Warning: Don&#8217;t read on unless you&#8217;re prepared to be truly spooked. Catacombs in Italy The Christian Catacombs of Rome In the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":10379,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[97,84],"ppma_author":[155],"class_list":["post-1610","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-culture","tag-autumn","tag-festivals"],"authors":[{"term_id":155,"user_id":3,"is_guest":0,"slug":"walksofitaly","display_name":"Walks of Italy","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9f4cd4dd0c5ab4b4bae57f3500298e23?s=96&d=mm&r=g","user_url":"http:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog","last_name":"of Italy","first_name":"Walks","job_title":"","description":"Walks began life as the passion project of two guys with one simple mission: To share their love for, and knowledge of, the city of Rome. Since then, Walks has grown into a team of over 100 ground staff and at any time up to 600 guides, operating across 13 of the world\u2019s most exciting cities (and counting!)\r\n\r\nToday we provide some of the most exclusive and beautifully designed small group tours in the industry through Italy-based Walks of Italy and around the world at Walks, where we offer special access to some of the world\u2019s most iconic landmarks and attractions as well as unique cultural experiences."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1610"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1610"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1610\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23879,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1610\/revisions\/23879"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10379"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1610"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=1610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}