Capuchin catacombs: creepy attraction in Italy. Photo

Catacombs of the Capuchins in Palermo.

Catacombs of the Capuchins — the world-famous burial cave in Palermo (Sicily, South Italy). There rests more than 8,000 mummified bodies of people who died between the XVII and XIX centuries. Today, catacombs of the Capuchins – one of the main attractions of Palermo.

In 1599 the monks of the Capuchin made a shocking discovery while exhuming bodies recovered from the catacombs under the monastery in Palermo – many of the bodies were mummified in a natural way. Peculiarities of soil and climate prevented decomposition of the bodies. following this discovery, the monks decided to mummify one of their dead – Silvestro of Gubbio, – placing the deceased in the catacombs. Soon the catacombs began to demolish the bodies of the dead monks and even noble citizens of Palermo.

Later, the catacombs became a kind of status symbol — it was considered prestigious to be buried in the catacombs of the Capuchins. Of the body first dehydrated, putting them eight months on racks of ceramic pipes in the catacombs, and then washed with vinegar. Some of the bodies were embalmed while others were placed in sealed glass cabinets. The monks were buried in their everyday clothing and sometimes with ropes they had worn as a penance.

Some of the deceased wrote wills, which specify what clothes they need to bury. Some even requested that their bodies several times a year changing according to the latest fashion. Relatives went to the catacombs to pray for the dead and maintain their bodies in a presentable condition.

The monks of the Capuchin took the money for the maintenance of the vast catacombs of the relatives of the dead. Each new body was first placed in a temporary niche, and then it hung, exposed or laid in an open form in a permanent place. While relatives made money, the body remained in its place but when the relatives stopped the payments, the body shifted on the shelf as long as the payment was not renewed.

In 1880-ies of the Sicilian authorities have banned the practice of mummification. The last monk, who was buried in the catacombs was brother Riccardo. died in 1871, and the last burials date back to 1920. The catacombs – a place of pilgrimage of tourists.

It was in 1920 in the catacombs of the Capuchins buried Rosalia Lombardo the girl, whose body is still preserved incorrupt.

It is known that Professor Alfredo Salafi, who conducted the embalming Rosalia Lombardo, used formalin to kill bacteria, alcohol to dry the body, glycerin to prevent the body from overdrying, salicylic acid to kill the fungus, but also the most important component is a zinc salt (zinc sulfate and zinc chloride) to give the body sufficient rigidity. But the recipe of the embalming lost.

During the Second world war American bombers accidentally hit the convent, with the result that many mummies were destroyed. Today along the walls of the catacombs can be found about 8,000 bodies and 1252 mummies. Rooms are divided into seven categories: men, women, girls, children, priests, monks and scientists. Some bodies are better preserved than others and the access to the graves with them and still open to their descendants.

Although the catacombs are open to the public, taking pictures inside is prohibited. Also, if tourists are photographed together with the mummies, the bodies of enclosed iron bars.

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