Table Of Contents
- Museo Delle Anime Del Purgatorio
- The ghosts of Castel Sant'Angelo
- Dario Argento's Museum of Horrors.
- Church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini
- Doll Hospital
- Museum Laboratory of the Mind
- Catacombs of Rome
- Porta Magica in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II
- Rome's Non-Catholic Cemetery
- Underground Basilica of Porta Maggiore
- Vicus Caprarius – City of Water (under the Trevi Fountain)
- Coppedè Quarter
- Santa Maria della Scala Pharmacy Museum
- Catacombs of St. Agnes
- Casina delle Civette
- Church of the Dead
- The Devil's Chair
Halloween is just around the corner, and if you love an atmosphere a little out of the ordinary, it’s the perfect time to embark on a tour among the scariest, most magical and unusual places in the capital. This is not the usual list of tourist sights, but an invitation to explore a different Rome, a city to see on foot, made up of legends, arcana, underground and little-trodden places. Be prepared: some places look like something out of a movie, others hold centuries-old secrets.
Museo Delle Anime Del Purgatorio
This museum is not very well known. It certainly isn’t 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 Louise 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.
Address: 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 on the chilling tour will be the voice of a ghost.
Address: Via dei Gracchi, 260. The museum is open Monday through Saturday (except holidays), hours: 11:30 am-1 pm, 4-7 pm. The ticket costs €5.
Church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini
This church in Rome displays human bones. To be precise, its crypt houses the bones of about 4,000 friars. What is special about this spooky place 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.
Address: 27 Vittorio Veneto Street. 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, question the professionalism of the craftsman, the store in fact has an impressive 4.6 stars on Google!
Address: Via di Ripetta 29.
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.
Address: 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, such as those of San Callisto and San Sebastiano, are evocative places rich in history. Perfect for discovering a less-traveled underground Rome. The visit lasts 30 minutes and you can arrange your own visit daily from 10 a.m. and 4:20 p.m.
Porta Magica in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II
This door 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.
Address: P.za Vittorio Emanuele II
Rome’s Non-Catholic Cemetery
Not just a perfect Halloween plan, 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. It is strategically located in the shadow of the Cestia Pyramid . It is a really interesting place to visit; in fact, it is considered one of the most beautiful and evocative cemeteries in Europe.
Underground Basilica of Porta Maggiore
In the heart of lesser-known Rome, about 9 meters below street level at Porta Maggiore, lies the oldest pagan basilica in the entire West! It is an underground environment that has fascinating esoteric implications: the Underground Basilica of Porta Maggiore, discovered by chance in 1917. This space appears to have been a place of worship of the Neopythagoreans or otherwise linked to mysterious rituals, and today it is visited only by reservation during special openings and events. If you are looking for a “place to visit in Rome” that combines archaeology, mystery and the underground, this stop is perfect.
Address: Piazzale Labicano
Vicus Caprarius – City of Water (under the Trevi Fountain)
Not far from the hustle and bustle of the Trevi Fountain is this underground archaeological complex that many people are unaware of: the Roman domus, the reservoir of the Virgin Aqueduct, ancient waterways – a real “world under your feet.” Here you can add to your itinerary a totally different experience of underground Rome than usual, ideal for those who want to visit the city from an unusual point of view. Opening hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guided tours are by reservation and cost €8.
Coppedè Quarter
Rome’s Coppedè Quarter is an architectural gem that blends such styles as Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Gothic, enriched by Greek and Roman influences. Designed by Gino Coppedè between 1913 and 1926, the neighborhood enchants with its elaborate facades and esoteric symbols. It is not necessarily spooky, but it has that “magical” plus that makes it an intriguing choice, especially on a walking tour of the city. The famous Mincio Square, with the Fountain of Frogs and iconic buildings such as the Spider Palace and the Villino delle Fate, creates an unforgettable fairy-tale atmosphere.
Address: Mincio Square
Santa Maria della Scala Pharmacy Museum
Among Rome’s most fascinating and mysterious places to visit is undoubtedly the Santa Maria della Scala Pharmacy Museum, also known as the Spezieria. This unique place, often included among the special things to see in Rome, holds ancient bottles of poisons and secret preparations that fuel an atmosphere thick with mystery. Scholars are still analyzing the chemicals stored in the old bottles, the results of which have not yet been made public. In addition to its enigmatic charm, the Spezieria represents a true hidden treasure of Rome, being one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe and a perfect symbol of unusual and secret Rome.
To visit it, one must request an appointment at the entrance of the pharmacy in Piazza della Scala No. 23. The fee is €13 for adults and €10 for those under 18 (children under 6 get in free).
Address: Piazza della Scala, 23
Catacombs of St. Agnes
Beneath the basilica dedicated to St. Agnes, along Via Nomentana, lies one of Rome’s most evocative and least known underground sites. The catacombs of Sant’Agnese, dug into the tufa between the 3rd and 4th centuries, hold tombs of Christians and perfectly preserved early Christian mosaics. Legend has it that mysterious presences linked to ancient Christian martyrs still manifest themselves here: sudden lights, distant voices, scents of incense appearing out of nowhere. It is a place that mixes faith and eeriness, perfect for those who love to explore the most secret underground Rome.
Address: Via di Sant’Agnese, 1
Casina delle Civette
In the heart of Villa Torlonia, among tree-lined paths and silence, hides the Casina delle Civette, a fairy-tale villa that seems to have come out of an art nouveau dream or… from a witch story! Behind its stained glass windows and Art Nouveau decorations lie esoteric symbols and a story veiled in melancholy. Built for Prince Giovanni Torlonia, the house became a refuge of solitude and strangeness: it is said that the nobleman spent entire nights there in the company of owls, a symbol of wisdom and mystery. Some visitors tell of the sounds of footsteps and shadows moving behind the windows when the museum is closed.
Address: Villa Torlonia, Via Nomentana, 70
Church of the Dead
Very few Romans know that beneath the famous Via Giulia, desired by Pope Julius II as the most elegant street in Renaissance Rome, lies a forgotten place: the Church of Santa Maria dell’Orazione e morte. Here unnamed bodies, found along the Tiber or in the streets of the city, were buried. The walls of the hypogeum are decorated with skulls and bones, a reminder of the fragility of life. A true hidden treasure of Rome, where the silence is broken only by the trickle of water seeping through the vaults.
Address: Via Giulia, 262
The Devil’s Chair
In the Nomentano district, at the intersection of Via della Lega Lombarda and Piazza Elio Callistio, stands an ancient Roman ruin known as The Devil’s Chair. According to legend, at night on that stone chair the devil himself would manifest himself, attracting the curious and frightening passersby. It is actually the monumental tomb of Aelius Callistius, a dignitary of Emperor Hadrian. But over the centuries, amid superstition and fear, the place has become synonymous with black magic and infernal apparitions. Perfect for those looking for scary places in Rome or wanting to discover a dark corner of the eternal city.
address: Piazza Elio Callistio, 8 – 00199 Rome RM
And if you still haven’t had enough, here’s 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!