Monumental Cemetery of Turin, National heritage cemetery in Turin, Italy
The Monumental Cemetery of Turin is a national heritage site in Turin, Italy, covering approximately 60 hectares with a wide range of burial plots and sculptural works. The grounds are divided into several sections, including older areas with historic monuments and newer zones with contemporary burial layouts.
Construction was decided in 1827 by Turin's council of decurions to replace the San Pietro in Vincoli and San Lazzaro cemeteries. Marquis Carlo Tancredi Falletti di Barolo funded the land purchase with 300,000 lire in 1828, and engineer Gaetano Lombardi drew up the project. Mayor Luigi Francesetti di Mezzenile laid the first stone on 17 May 1828, and the cemetery opened to the public on 6 November 1829. Water seeping from the nearby Dora Riparia was dealt with by diverting the river's meandering course.
Many tombs display intricate stone carvings and glass mosaics that reflect the craftsmanship of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors also encounter small chapels and wrought-iron gates that illustrate the variety of local burial traditions.
The entrance is at Piazzale Falletti di Barolo 133/b and opens Tuesday through Sunday, with hours that shift between summer and winter periods. Pathways of gravel and cobblestone run throughout, so sturdy footwear helps when walking the grounds.
The cemetery holds the Tomba del Grande Torino, memorial to the Torino football team killed in the 1949 Superga air disaster. Nearby stands the Mausoleo Tamagno, the largest monument on the grounds. The entrance square was named for Carlo Tancredi Falletti di Barolo on 27 October 2015, honouring the marquis who funded the first nucleus.
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