Genoa is a city that offers so much to visitors, and lends itself to many return visits over time, to discover the many “new” corners that alone are worth the trip. We have already seen, for those with limited time, what to see in Genoa in one day; and we have also seen, for those who want to venture outside the well-known tourist routes, the beautiful historic aqueduct walk of Genoa. Today we want to talk about another gem for those who want to discover something interesting outside the stunning historic center of the Ligurian capital. And while it’s true that the idea of visiting a cemetery might seem unappealing to some, the burial ground we want to tell you about today stands out for its great beauty. Along with the Père-Lachaise cemetery in Paris, the Victorian Highgate cemetery in London and the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno certainly ranks among the cemeteries worth visiting. For the beauty of the setting and the monuments it houses, for the illustrious figures buried there, as well as for the wonderful words that so many figures from the past have used to describe it.

Staglieno Cemetery: a Bit of History

Among the most important monumental monuments in Europe, the Staglieno Cemetery was officially opened in 1851. The design commission had been entrusted 16 years earlier to architect Carlo Barabino, famous for having designed among other things the Carlo Felice Theater and the Academy Palace; his sudden death during the cholera epidemic of 1835 forced a delay in the work, which was then carried forward by his student Giovanni Battista Resasco, who further emphasized the monumental component of the cemetery. This is how we have the grand portals that welcome visitors, as well as obviously the imposing Pantheon, combining neoclassical architecture with naturalistic style, in the manner of Père-Lachaise.

Illustrious figures buried at the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno

What attracts visitors to the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno is not only the architectural wonders. The many illustrious figures who find burial here also contribute to making it a truly special place. Here you can find the tombs of many citizens of Genoa and other famous figures who chose Staglieno for their burial. You can thus see the tombs of Fabrizio De André, Edoardo Sanguineti, Raffaele Rubattino, Gian Carlo Di Negro, and also Oscar Wilde’s wife Constance Mary Lloyd Wilde, Nino Bixio, Enrico Alberto d’Albertis, Giuseppe Mazzini, Anna Maria Ortese, Fernanda Pivano and many others.

Visiting figures

The fame of the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno has also grown thanks to the many famous figures who have visited it throughout history. We think of Guy De Maupassant and Empress Elisabeth of Austria “Sissi”. But also Mark Twain, who wrote “the last visit was to the Cemetery, which I will continue to remember when I have forgotten the palaces”, and Ernest Hemingway, who described it as “one of the wonders of the world”. And also, Joy Division bassist Peter Hook passed through here, who chose to use a photo of the Appiani tomb as the cover of the album “Closer” in 1980. Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, Arthur Evelyn Waugh and of course Oscar Wilde also passed through here, to visit his wife’s tomb.

How to reach the Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno

Reaching the Staglieno Cemetery is not difficult. By car you can easily arrive from the Genoa East exit. Those who instead want to start from our tourist port of Genoa, once they have moored their boat, need only take bus 34, which stops right here in front of our marina.