Fontanelle Cemetery Tickets + Audio Guide

With your purchase of Fontanelle Cemetery tickets, embark on an insightful journey through the historic Rione Sanità neighborhood. Guided by an audio narration, you will delve into the rich history of this ancient burial site, uncovering urban legends and the profound reverence that the Neapolitan community has for the cult of the "almas pezzentelle."

Exploration of Fontanelle Cemetery

Upon exchanging your booking confirmation at the ticket office, you will have the opportunity to explore the depths of the Fontanelle Cemetery independently. This remarkable ossuary, carved from a massive tuff quarry, served as a hastily assembled mass grave during the devastating plague of 1656 and later during the cholera epidemic of 1836. Today, it holds the remains of tens of thousands of souls.

As you navigate through its expansive halls, the striking mounds of bones will be on display. In this hauntingly quiet setting, you will learn about the unique practice of "adopting" the capuzzelle, the term used in the local dialect for these anonymous skulls.

Traditionally, Neapolitans would "adopt" a forsaken skull, care for it, and place it in votive cases made from various materials that reflected the adopter's means. In exchange, they sought protection or support from the afterlife.

Audio Guide Experience

Your 40-minute visit includes access to an audio guide in English through a convenient app. Local voices will narrate your experience, guiding you through this historical site while unraveling the lesser-known tales associated with its most intriguing skulls.

Listen to spine-chilling folk legends, including the eerie tale of the infamous "Captain" (Il Capitano) and the mystery surrounding "Donna Concetta," a renowned skull that draws attention due to the legend that it perpetually appears to be sweating.