Certosa of Bologna

Work on the Carthusian monastery began in 1334, and it was suppressed towards the end of the 18th century. In 1801 the city decided to reuse the monastic buildings as a cemetery. An Etruscan necropolis had occupied the ground long before; it was discovered from 1869 onwards, and the finds are displayed in the Civic Archaeological Museum of Bologna.

The cloisters, galleries and burial fields grew over several centuries. In the Third Cloister the tombs of painted stucco are considered unique in Europe, while the Seventh Cloister holds sculpture of the late 19th century. The funerary art runs from Neoclassicism and Verismo to Liberty and Art Deco, and includes Vincenzo Vela's Desolazione.

Those buried here include the painter Giorgio Morandi, the poet Giosuè Carducci, the composer Ottorino Respighi, the singer Lucio Dalla and the castrato Farinelli. A portico links the Certosa with the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca and has been part of the UNESCO-listed Porticoes of Bologna since 2021. The city of Bologna provides information on visits and guided tours.