With these tickets to the Fontanelle Cemetery, you'll enjoy a tour through the heart of the historic Rione Sanità neighborhood. With an audio guide, you'll discover the history of this ancient quarry, the urban legends surrounding it, and the deep respect the Neapolitan people have for this ancient cult of the "almas pezzentelle."
Visit the Fontanelle Cemetery
Once you have redeemed your booking confirmation at the ticket office, you'll explore the depths of the Fontanelle Cemetery, a monumental ossuary located in a vast tuff quarry, on your own. This gigantic underground space became an emergency mass grave during the tragic plague epidemic of 1656 and, later, during the cholera outbreak of 1836. Today, it houses the remains of tens of thousands of people.
You'll wander through its vast chambers, where you'll see the unmistakable mounds of bones. In this atmosphere of deathly silence, you'll discover how the tradition of "adopting" the capuzzelle began. Did you know that's what the anonymous skulls are called in the local dialect?
The Neapolitans would "adopt" one of these abandoned skulls, clean it, and place it in votive display cases made of various materials—depending on the financial means of the person adopting the skull—asking in return for protection or help from the afterlife.
Audio Guide
During your 40-minute visit, you'll have access to an audio guide in English, available via an app. The voices of the local community itself will accompany you every step of the way. The neighborhood's own residents will guide you through the site to reveal the best-kept secrets of the most famous skulls.
You'll learn spine-chilling folk legends, such as the chilling story of the dreaded "Captain" (Il Capitano) or the mystery of "Donna Concetta," a famous skull that catches the eye of all visitors because, according to legend, it always looks like it's sweating.
