Haunted Sites in Rome
Rome
encompasses all of what we know from ancient times. It is the birthplace of the democratic government that we have instilled today, as well as the site of those historical monuments we only thought existed within the confines of our imagination. Take a stroll down the streets of Rome and be overwhelmed with the looming presence of the famed Colosseum. Turn the corner down a busy walkway and from out of nowhere the dark Pantheon rises from the ground. It is a city of endless amounts of history, thus a city that has not shaken off the spirits of the past. On your next trip to Rome, be sure to include some time in your itinerary
to visit some of their local spooky haunts.
Stripped of its former marble glory, the famous Colosseum was home to gladiator shows, reenactments of sea battles, gory animal fights and, at one point, a cemetery. After years and years of being ransacked for its marble to build other Roman structures, the Colosseum was finally left alone to stand as a monument to the once-powerful empire. Those who have visited the Colosseum at night, as well as guards stationed around the monument have reported the sounds of battles past within the circular walls, including the clashing of swords and the crunching of the sand as chariots race across the ground.
It seems like almost every corner you turn in Rome, you come upon a lively and crowded piazza full of street vendors selling anything from original art to roasted chestnuts to delicious gelato. In one of the piazzas, Piazza del Popolo, there were often macabre shows where criminals would be brought before the public and tortured for amusement. In this same plaza, there is a church named Santa Maria del Popolo that was built in the late 1400s. It is around this area that many people have witnessed paranormal activity. The locals believe the spirit of the ruthless emperor Nero haunts these grounds as well as the spirits of those tortured criminals. Legend has it that Nero’s mistress buried his body in the area, accounting for his restlessness.
Much like the famous (or perhaps, infamous) catacombs of Paris, Rome’s catacombs were very much a lure to the common tourist. Millions of Christians were buried in these narrow tunnels built underneath the city. These bodies were not simply put in coffins and placed in these tunnels. On the contrary, the bones of the deceased were used as pieces of art to make macabre sculptures. Skulls were placed atop each other in columns and leg bones were used to create the archways seen throughout the catacombs. With millions of people visiting Rome each year and the catacombs, local authorities began to believe that these tourists
were leaving with much more than the photos they took. Some actually took home pieces of the bodies, so the catacombs began to be cleaned out of bodies, although pieces of some of the bodies still remain. Locals report stories of odd lights and strange whispering sounds emerging from the tunnels. Some even feel that the paranormal activity intensified after the catacombs were cleared out of most of the bodies. They believe that the spirits are angered at being displaced.