Capuchin Crypt
Cripta dei Cappuccini
An underground burial chamber decorated with the bones of about 3,700 friars, a stunning and thought-provoking “bone church.”
The Capuchin Crypt lies beneath the Church of Santa Maria della Concezione, at the start of Via Veneto. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, the Capuchin friars arranged the bones of about 3,700 deceased members into floral patterns, chandeliers and arches, forming six small chapels. An inscription on the wall reads, “What you are now, we once were; what we are now, you will one day be,” reminding visitors of life's impermanence. Admission includes the Capuchin Museum, and you must dress respectfully. Photography inside is strictly prohibited. The crypt is just 100 metres from Barberini Square (Metro Line A, Barberini station), and it can be combined with a visit to the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.
Opening hours
10:00–19:00
Nearby sights
- Trevi Fountain
- Trajan's Market & Imperial Fora
- Villa Borghese Gardens & Pincio Terrace
- Galleria Borghese
- Altare della Patria (Vittoriano)
- San Pietro in Vincoli
- Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore
- Mausoleum of Augustus