Verano Monumental Cemetery

This cemetery was very near to my hotel in San Lorenzo and it is beautiful. I had to cut my visit short because of an impending thunderstorm but I could have spent at least an hour here. I don't think it's worth coming to San Lorenzo if you are visiting Rome for only a few days but if you have some extra time, and if history and monuments are your thing, 100% worth checking out.

The Verano Monumental Cemetery stands as a testament to the rich historical tapestry of Rome, offering visitors a solemn yet captivating experience. Its vastness and architectural grandeur are both humbling and mesmerizing, inviting introspection and admiration. While the experience may be somewhat labyrinthine, it adds to the profound encounter with history and artistry that the cemetery embodies.

Deserted. Decaying. Wonderful. Beautiful. I prefer this place to the Trevi Fountain or Spanish Steps. The statues are stunning. We spent 7 hours here and couldn’t see it all.

Incredible beautiful and poetic. I spent a full day here, walking the grounds, ruminating on the lives of generations. A day well spent immersed in the lives of Romans of the past. Powerful. Calming.

The Verano Monumental Cemetery covers an area of about 83 hectares. It has been a burial place for at least twenty centuries, as evidenced by the existence of a Roman necropolis: the catacombs of Santa Ciriaca. It owes the name Verano to the ancient Campo dei Verani, senatorial gens at the time of the Roman republic. It was founded along the Tiburtina consular road during the Napoleonic reign of 1805-1814, in compliance with the 1804 Edict of Saint-Cloud, which imposed burials outside the city walls. The project was entrusted to Giuseppe Valadier between 1807 and 1812. The cemetery was consecrated in 1835, even if its construction proceeded with Pope Gregory XVI and Pope Pius IX and under the direction of the great pontifical architect Virginio Vespignani.

Characteristic military cemetery located near "La Sapienza" university. Here it's possible to visit many graves of the most influent militaries and personalities in the Italian history such as Garibaldi's and Mameli's. Some tombs cannot be visited because of structural issues. Since it's a public cemetery there is no entry fee.

Verano Monumental Cemetery has been a burial site for at least twenty centuries, as demonstrated by the remains of a Roman necropolis known as Catacombs of Santa Ciriaca. The name Verano refers to the fact that the land once belonged to the Verani, a senatorial family at the time of the Roman Republic. Built along Via Tiburtina consular road during the Napoleonic reign between 1805 and 1814, in accordance with the Edict of Saint Cloud of 1804, which stipulated that burial sites were located outside of the city walls, the project was assigned to the architect Giuseppe Valadier from1807 to 1812. The cemetery was consecrated in 1835, and works went on during the pontificate of Gregory XVI and Pio IX, under the supervision of Virginio Vespignani. Further construction work was performed even after Rome became the Capital of Italy (1870-1871), by adding large plots of land, such as Villa Mancini, where nowadays the “Pincetto” area stands. The main entrance with its three openings, and four large statues which symbolize Meditation, Hope, Charity and Silence, precedes a large “Quadriportico” designed by Vespignani and completed in 1880. The current appearance is subsequent to the bombing of San Lorenzo neighbourhood (19 July 1943), in which three areas of the Cemetery were damaged: the monumental entrance, with the “Quadriportico” and the “Pincetto” area, the administrative offices and the area in front of the “Military Memorial”. Verano Monumental Cemetery, with its rich cultural heritage, can be defined as an open-air museum without equal in terms of quantity and features: an incalculable historical, artistic and cultural treasure.

You can call it museum though, beautiful full of eccentric scenery the best time is sunset