Capuchins' Catacomb

In the 16th century the Capuchin fathers of Palermo discovered that some bodies, once removed from their graves, showed signs of having undergone a mysterious process of natural mummification. From then until 1920, when a two-year old named Rosalia was the last mummy to be interred in the Capuchins' Catacomb, thousands of bodies were embalmed, dressed up in their finest clothing and laid to eternal rest.

The bodies are truly striking, ranging in preservation from the almost lifelike body of little Rosalia to the dried out and unrecognisable husks of unknown citizens. Wandering through the overpowering atmosphere of the Capuchins' Catacomb can be an intense experience and faint-hearted visitors are definitely warned away. Particularly distressing are the children, notably the body of Rosalia Lombardo, whose lifelike body is preserved in a glass case behind a metal grille.