The Protestant Cemetery

The Protestant Cemetery of Rome is located between the monumental Pyramid of Cestius and the Aurelian Walls. If you happen to be around, after visiting or simply admiring the Pyramid, don't miss this oasis of peace and quietness in the core of Rome's Testaccio neighbourhood.

The fame of the cemetery comes especially from the great concentration of artists, writers, scholars and diplomats buried there.

Walking on the English-style lawn you can actually find the tombs of the English poet John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Goethe's son or Antonio Gramsci. It is really worth to go inside the cemetery even only for the artistic value of some of the tombs, really noteworthy.

THE ORIGIN OF NON-CATHOLIC CEMETERIES

Non-catholic cemeteries were built in respose to the ecclesiastical rules in the Middle Ages, according to which, a Protestant could not be buried in consacrated land. In the 17th century, many cities decided to establish areas where non-catholic deceased could be worthily buried. In Rome as well, around 1716, after the concession of Pope Clemens XI, the first burials took place in front of the Pyramid of Cestius.