The monumental cemetery of Genoa, the Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno, may not be the first place you’d think to visit when you’re in Genoa, but this cemetery had been on my wishlist for quite some time. So, last week, we specifically traveled to Genoa for this visit, and it definitely did not disappoint.

The cemetery is located on a very steep slope in a park-like setting and impresses with its architectural design, which is mainly characterized by arcades, colonnades, numerous statues, and the imposing family crypts.

The cemetery was opened in 1851, covers 33 hectares, and over time, the originally (Roman) Catholic cemetery was expanded to include an English cemetery, a Protestant cemetery, and a Jewish cemetery.

Genoa’s Cemetery, the Pantheon

The architectural center is the Pantheon, which sits on a hill and thus rises above the grounds. But what truly elevates the cemetery to the status of a monument are the many impressive sculptures that adorn the graves in the arcades. It might be the largest open-air sculpture museum in Europe.

The sculptures at Staglieno are unique, fascinating works of art, full of emotion through their lifelike details, such as lace on dresses, eyelashes, tears, and the expressions on the faces of the figures. We saw graves where an angel was depicted knocking on the coffin, graves where young children mourned for their parents, and graves with weeping widows. The sculptures speak of grief and loss.
Some of the sculptures have been covered in dust for centuries and look as if they could suddenly awaken, shake off their dusty cloaks, and come to life again. Others are sparkling clean and seem as though they were erected just yesterday.

Genoa’s Cemetery, the grave of the hazelnut seller

Without a doubt, the most famous tomb monument in the cemetery is that of Caterina Campodonico, a poor hazelnut seller. She was an ordinary, working-class woman who became fully caught up in the “tomb monument” craze. With a grand monument, one could rise above the social status of life.

She saved as much money as she could throughout her life, earned from selling strings of hazelnuts, roasted chestnuts, and other street treats, in order to afford a beautiful tomb monument.

Endless long avenues

Further up, there are long avenues lined with tombs, some of which are like small houses adorned with sculptures. There are also beautiful old woods, where beneath the trees, simple graves have sunk and tilted over time. The cemetery also features some bizarre or daring tombstones, such as a nearly 30-meter-high replica of the Cathedral of Milan, which stands somewhere at the top of the cemetery.
The cemetery is still in use, and during our visit, we saw people actively cleaning, polishing, and placing flowers, especially on the more recent graves, as the weekend had just passed with the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

All Saints’ Day, Ognissanti

On November 1st, it is Ognissanti, All Saints’ Day, a Christian holiday dedicated to the memory of all saints. It is a national holiday in Italy, and the day is typically celebrated with family, first by attending mass together, and then by sharing a meal. In the past, each saint was commemorated on their individual feast day, but as the number of saints grew, the Church decided to consolidate the celebrations into one common day, November 1st.

All Souls’ Day, il Giorno dei Morti

All Saints’ Day is followed by All Souls’ Day, a day to remember deceased loved ones. On All Souls’ Day, many families visit the graves of their loved ones to honor them. Extra care is given to the graves, which are decorated with flowers. It is a tradition to light candles and lanterns in the cemetery as a way of offering light to the departed.

Cartosio

Last Saturday, I took a walk to the cemetery in Cartosio. The cemetery looked very neat, with flowers and candles on nearly every grave, and there were quite a few people there. Most of my deceased loved ones have been cremated and their ashes scattered, so I rarely visit cemeteries, but this was actually the second time in a week!

I ran into a friend of our children, and we chatted for a bit. He was there to visit the grave of his grandparents because he wanted to honor them extra on this day. I thought that was a lovely thought to end on.

Best, Silvia