Italian Italian Crypts Guide

Must-See

RomeWhere

1631-1870Period

The bones of 3,700 monks arranged into decorative patterns — chandeliers of vertebrae, arches of skulls. Disturbing and beautiful. Via Veneto. €8.50.

Must-See

FlorenceWhere

11th c.Period

A Romanesque crypt with delicate frescoed columns — the oldest part of the church. Free and hauntingly beautiful.

Must-See

PugliaWhere

11th c.Period

42 columns supporting a forest of arches — plus the bones of 800 martyrs killed by Ottoman Turks in 1480. The floor mosaic above is extraordinary.

Must-See

MilanWhere

VariousPeriod

The crypt holds San Carlo Borromeo's body in a crystal casket and the remains of earlier churches beneath the Duomo.

Must-See

LazioWhere

13th c.Period

The "Sistine Chapel of the Middle Ages" — a crypt covered floor-to-ceiling in Romanesque frescoes. Wildly undervisited. 1 hour from Rome.

💡 Pro tip: These buildings are almost always free and uncrowded. Visit in the afternoon when tour groups have left.

Where to start

Start with the must-see examples, then explore the hidden gems. Italy's italian crypts reward the curious visitor.