Cimitero Acattolico Is the Non-Catholic cemetery or sometimes called the Protestant cemetery. It is located in the Testaccio neighbourhood. Not too far to walk to from other historical sites. The beautiful Cimitero Acattolico is my favourite cemetery in Rome.
The Site
This is a private cemetery and still in use today. Visitors are allowed to walk around the grounds which include a densely populated burial area and a grassy meadow with few scattered plots. The oldest burial here dates back to 1716. There are many large beautiful trees, wild flowers and feral but incredibly friendly cats that roam the site.
The Headstones
I fell in love with this cemetery on my last visit to Rome. The headstones are what captured me. The fallen angel or ‘angel of grief’ is incredibly beautiful and evokes so much emotion.
Many of the headstones are statuesque. Some are very modern. I remembered one from my previous visit that I tried to find again but was unsuccessful this time around. It was a simple white marble slab with one single small bronze pomegranate at one end. Wow, it was stunningly serene.
Being a non-Catholic cemetery, many of the headstones are written in foreign languages. There are also different shaped crosses and other small interesting details that I do not see elsewhere.
The Flowers
The multitude of spring flowers when I visited was breathtaking. Even the trees were in bloom. Flowers included irises, wisteria, snow drops, and an incredibly fragrant vine with tiny pale pink blossoms. Walking through, row by row admiring nature at its finest, I was able to block all thoughts from my mind. I was completely engulfed in this tranquil garden.
Who is Buried Here?
Readers may be interested to know that the writers and poets John Keats and Percy Shelly are asleep here. This was unknown to me when I first visited. I paused to read the headstones and thought, it cannot be. The romance this adds to the setting is sweet.
The Pyramid
Yes you read that right! Beside this cemetery, is an amazing structure! An actual pyramid built in 18BC, over 2,000 years old. It is a tomb built for Caius Cestius and is a striking feature from all angles. When you are on the meadow inside the cemetery, you have an unadulterated view of this magnificent building.
Perhaps the biggest reason I visit cemeteries is the opportunity to be in a perfectly peaceful place, surrounded by quiet and nature. Away from crowds and activity, I can let my guard down, relax and allow my mind drift away. I can be truly lost in the moment, studying the details of an exquisite flower without a care in the world. Peace.
