Cemetery in Italy with haunted art architecture, attracting tourists around the world because it is so impressive

Cemeteries are certainly not what people want to think of when looking for a popular tourist destination, but the Cimiteroumentale di Staglieno is the exception with its monumental sculptures and breathtaking architecture.

Despite being the place to bury the deceased, the Staglieno cemetery represents more than just death. Cimiteroumentale di Staglieno is located on an ancient hillside in the Staglieno district of Genoa (Italy), with its architecture wrapped like a fresh wreath, embracing the beautiful memories of people's lives when they return to their eternal resting place.

The idea of ​​the Staglieno cemetery dates back to 1804, when Emperor Napoleon issued a Decree at St.Cloud regarding the prohibition of burying the dead in churches and catacombs.

Amazingly realistic and vivid lines on a statue

But in 1835, a cholera epidemic in Italy broke out and many people died. The number of deaths was so high that bodies were lined up in the streets because they couldn't find a place to bury them. That was also when the plan to build a large cemetery on the outskirts of town was approved by the city government.

In 1835, the city government entrusted the design of the cemetery to Civil Architect Carlo Barabino. He is extremely famous as the person responsible for designing the layout of downtown Genoa. In addition, he also built a number of public works such as: Academy Palace, Carlo Felice Theater, Psychiatric Hospital, etc.

Unfortunately, Barabino soon died from a cholera epidemic raging at that time. Thus, the work was completed by his student Giovanni Battista Resasco.

Staglieno Cemetery was officially opened in 1851.

Coming here, tourists are often overwhelmed by its magnificent and artistic architecture.

Although it is a Neoclassical shoe-making structure, the art and design of this cemetery is also heavily influenced by the Realism movement that developed in the 1850s.

When coming to the Staglieno cemetery, tourists are often overwhelmed by its magnificent and artistic architecture. More specifically, the sculptures here are extremely vivid to the point of being true and are called by tourists as "talking statues" over time.

Almost every class of Genoese society was buried Staglieno: from mass graves, individual gravestones to family graves. Famous graves in the cemetery include the resting place of writer Oscar Wilde's wife Constance Lloyd, singer Fabrizio De André, Senator Nino Bixio and poet Giuseppe Mazzini.

The children's graves here bring a sense of deep mourning, with small statues, sad faces especially haunting. Some of the other special statues feature angels, ships and scenes of families mourning for the bereaved.

Hundreds of monuments from the 19th and 20th centuries, created by world-renowned artists: Lorenzo Orengo, Santo Varni, Giulio Monteverde and Giovanni Scanzi, etc.

The artistic architecture of the cemetery

Today, the Staglieno cemetery is an open-air museum.

Another famous attraction here is the statue of a walnut seller named Caterina Campodonico. According to the story, this woman spent her whole life selling beads to build the most lavish and splendid tomb in the cemetery.

In addition, a memorial to the soldiers who fell during the First World War was added to the Staglieno cemetery after the war was over.

Today, the Staglieno cemetery is an open-air museum, allowing visitors to visit and have a multi-dimensional view of the meaning of life and death, and admire the artistic wonders of the masters of architecture.