Table Of Contents
- Ghosts and stories to discover
- Museo Delle Anime Del Purgatorio
- The ghosts of Castel Sant’Angelo
- Dario Argento’s Museum of Horrors.
- Church of St. Mary of the Conception of the Capuchins.
- Doll Hospital
- Museum Laboratory of the Mind
- Catacombs of Rome
- Porta Magica in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II
- Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome
Ghosts and stories to discover
Halloween is just a short time away, and the bravest of us can embark on a tour to discover the scariest places in town. Legends and creepy places await you… You can visit a different Rome and it is also a chance to learn about sides of the city you may not have imagined.
The first stop is at St. Peter’s Basilica, where they say there is still the presence of Julius Caesar’s spirit.
Museo Delle Anime Del Purgatorio
This museum is not very well known. It is certainly not one of those places that tourists put on their list of things to see in Rome. But those lucky enough to live in the capital can explore the Church of the Sacred Heart of Suffrage. The Museum of the Souls in Purgatory is located in the church’s sacristy and would prove the existence of Purgatory through a display of documents and testimonies.
Among the various testimonies of apparitions of the dead is the 1875 apparition of Luisa Le Sénèchal who appeared to her husband, Louis Le Sénèchal, at their home in Ducey (Manche-France), leaving him the imprint of five fingers on his night cap as a sign.
Where: Lungotevere Prati 12. For more information on hours and admission: 06 6880 6517.
The ghosts of Castel Sant’Angelo
According to legend, Beatrice Cenci was a young Roman noblewoman. The maiden was the victim of an abusive father who also abused her. Because of this, Beatrice and the rest of the family decided to kill the man. But then they were sentenced to death on the Sant’Angelo Bridge. Since then, every year in mid-September, the ghost of the beauty returns to roam near Castel Sant’Angelo along with the Boa who beheaded her.
Dario Argento’s Museum of Horrors.
This museum is located in the basement of the Profondo Rosso store. A scary museum dedicated to the films of the famous horror film director Dario Argento. Here you will find the original materials used by the film-maker in Phenomena, Opera, Demons, The Church, The Stendhal Syndrome… Guiding you through the chilling tour will be the voice of a ghost.
Where: Via dei Gracchi, 260. The museum is open Monday through Saturday (except holidays), hours: 11:30 am-1 pm, 4-7 pm. Tickets cost €5.
Church of St. Mary of the Conception of the Capuchins.
This church in Rome displays human bones. To be precise, its crypt houses the bones of about 4,000 friars. The special feature is that the bones were used to decorate the walls of the five chapels. The intent is to make it clear that the body serves only to house the soul.
Where: via Vittorio Veneto, 27, 00187 Rome. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., full ticket costs €8 .50, reduced €5.
Doll Hospital
A creepy place in Rome is the Doll Hospital. It is indeed a bit creepy to see all those doll heads in the window. Think what it feels like in a room full of broken dolls in the dark? It could very well be a scene from a scary movie. Let us not, however, doubt the professionalism of the artisan, the store in fact has an impressive 4.6 stars on Google!
Where: 29 Ripetta Street.
Museum Laboratory of the Mind
The Museum Laboratory of the Mind aims to document the history of the former asylum, stimulating reflections on the health/illness paradigm, social inclusion and treatment policy. The path unfolds in the VI pavilion of Rome’s former Santa Maria della Pietà asylum. Here thanks to virtual exhibits you can enter the mind of a sick person and see the world from his point of view.
Where: P.za di Santa Maria della Pietà, 5. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reservations are required by phone at 0668352858. Reduced ticket costs €5, full admission €7.
Catacombs of Rome
These ancient underground cemeteries, like those of San Callisto and San Sebastiano, are evocative places rich in history.
Porta Magica in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II
This gate is linked to alchemical legends and esoteric mysteries. Originally one of the five entrances to the villa of the Marquis of Pietraforte, Massimiliano Palombara, the door is engraved with alchemical symbols. According to legend, a pilgrim disappeared through the door after attempting to transform a substance into gold, leaving behind formulas engraved on the door itself. These symbols are associated with the search for the Philosopher’s Stone, which according to alchemy has the power to transform metals into gold and confer immortality and omniscience.
Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome
This cemetery houses the graves of famous poets such as John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley and is known for its quiet and mysterious atmosphere.
Here is an unusual tour to take in Rome… According to some rumors, several houses on Via dei Coronari were also haunted. “Mysterious” happenings, such as strange noises or objects moving around, led some tenants to leave them. Believe it or not, it can still be fun to discover these places!