Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno

Overview

The Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno is one of Europe's largest and most artistically important cemeteries, spread over 33 hectares of hillside northeast of the centre. Its extraordinary collection of 19th and early 20th-century funerary sculpture — from hyperrealist marble figures to Art Nouveau angels — makes it a genuine open-air gallery.

Highlights

• Gallery of the Boschetto: An arcaded corridor of marble tombs with some of the cemetery's most dramatic sculptural work.
• Tomb of Giuseppe Mazzini: The simple resting place of the hero of Italian unification, a site of national pilgrimage.
• Pantheón: The great domed rotunda modelled on Rome's Pantheon, the centerpiece of the cemetery.

History

Designed by Carlo Barabino and opened in 1851, Staglieno quickly became a showcase for Genoa's wealthy merchant families competing to commission the most impressive tombs. Mark Twain, visiting in 1869, wrote that it was a place where 'the living go to learn the dead's grand lessons in art.' Friedrich Nietzsche, Guy de Maupassant, and Evelyn Waugh also praised its beauty.

Visitor Tips

• Guided tours: The cemetery is enormous — consider a guided tour to find the highlights.
• Bus 34: Easily reached by bus 34 from the city centre.
• Duration: 1.5–2 hours.