WDEC 2026 in Bologna and its Metropolitan Area

Discover the program of events taking place in Bologna Metropolitan Area during the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026.

In the Bologna Metropolitan Area, there are five cemeteries recognized as "monumental and historic cemeteries of Emilia-Romagna" under Regional Law 21/2022: the Certosa Monumental Cemetery of Bologna, the Piratello Cemetery of Imola, the Casaglia Cemetery of Marzabotto, the Medicina Cemetery, and the San Giovanni in Persiceto Cemetery.

During the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2026, the Città Metropolitana di Bologna (Metropolitan City of Bologna) and Settore Musei Civici Bologna (Bologna Civic Museums Sector), for the hird consecutive year, are promoting a coordinated calendar of guided tours and initiatives dedicated to historical, artistic, and naturalistic itineraries in these locations.

Bologna - Certosa Monumental Cemetery

Friday, May 22 | 4:00 PM
In the Footsteps of Farinelli and His Family

Guided tour with Luigi Verdi exploring the memorial of Carlo Broschi, the legendary 18th-century singer known as Farinelli. The journey winds through silent cloisters to discover the tombs of his family members, weaving together art, music, and society from the 1700s to the present day. Inspired by the 2026 publication "Famiglie del Farinelli e loro dimore".

Organized by: Museo Civico del Risorgimento with Associazione Amici della Certosa.
Booking: Recommended at prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com.
Admission: Free.

Saturday, May 23 | 3:00 PM
Truth or Lies?

Guided tour with Roberto Martorelli. Inspired by the writings of Basile Joseph Ducos (1819-1820), this walk through the UNESCO World Heritage site questions whether the virtuous inscriptions on tombstones always tell the truth.

Organized by: Museo Civico del Risorgimento with Associazione Amici della Certosa.
Booking: Mandatory at prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com (confirmation email required).
Admission: €10.00 / €8.00 for Card Cultura holders (cash preferred).

Sunday, May 24 | 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Musical Weaves in Certosa

An independent tour where monuments are paired with ancient and modern songs. Visitors are encouraged to bring a smartphone and headphones to listen to tracks suggested by a mediator. A special guide sheet will be provided at the Infopoint to help you create your own "Certosa playlist".

Organized by: MIA (Innovative and Open Museums) for Museo Civico del Risorgimento.
Departure: Historical-Artistic Info Point, via della Certosa 18.
Admission: Free.

Sunday, May 24 | 10:30 AM
Underground Certosa: An Unusual Journey

Discover the least-known areas of the cemetery, including mysterious galleries, cold underground tunnels, and hidden cloisters. The tour includes the tragic story of Radio, a young submariner, and a look at modern artworks hidden from the hurried visitor.

Organized by: Mirarte.
Booking: Mandatory at mirartecoop.it.
Admission: €14.00 full / €10.00 reduced (children 6-12, people with disabilities).

Monday, May 25 | 4:00 PM
Biographical Visit to Bologna’s Greatest Monument

Guided tour with Mauro Felicori (founder and former president of ASCE) and Roberto Martorelli. The tour traces the complex's rebirth since 1999 and its recent recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Organized by: Associazione Amici della Certosa with Museo Civico del Risorgimento.
Booking: Mandatory at amicidellacertosa@gmail.com.
Admission: Free.

Tuesday, May 26 | 7:00 PM
NEPHESH | Protecting the Shadow

An immersive sonic walk through the cemetery using headphones. This poetic journey by Alessandro Renda explores the connection between the living and the dead.

Organized by: Ravenna Teatro in collaboration with perAspera Festival.
Booking: Mandatory pre-sale at www.ravennateatro.com/nephesh-certosa/.
Admission: €18.00.

Thursday, May 28 | 6:00 PM
Certosa T900: Memory and Guardianship

A meeting with Mauro Felicori discussing a collective study project on 20th-century tombs. The project involves photographers, volunteers, and students to preserve the city's memory for the future.

Organized by: Associazione Amici della Certosa with Museo Civico del Risorgimento.
Booking: Mandatory at amicidellacertosa@gmail.com.
Admission: Free.

Thursday, May 28 | 9:00 PM
Certosa: Nature and Death

A guided walk through the 19th-century garden of memory, exploring the botany and symbolism of death. Guided by biologist Francesco Nigro, this tour reveals the vibrant "urban nature" hidden within the city of the dead.

Meeting Point: Via della Certosa 22 (Italian Military Monument).
Organized by: Associazione Vitruvio.
Booking: Mandatory at associazione.vitruvio@gmail.com or +39 329 3659446.
Admission: €12.00 (Comfortable shoes and a flashlight/smartphone are recommended).

Saturday, May 30 | 10:30 AM
A Sunset of Joyful Notes – Bolognese Arts of the late 1700s

A walk with Roberto Martorelli through the UNESCO cloisters to discover the sculptors, painters, and composers who lived during the transition from Baroque to Neoclassical culture.

Organized by: Museo Civico del Risorgimento with Associazione Amici della Certosa.
Booking: Mandatory at prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com (confirmation email required).
Admission: €10.00 / €8.00 for Card Cultura holders (cash preferred).

Saturday, May 30 | 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Adore the Stars that Never Fade – Napoleon and Murat in Bologna

A grand historical reenactment featuring the meeting of Emperor Napoleon and the King of Naples. The event includes historical groups and a special guest, Prince Joachim Murat, heir to the Prince.

Afternoon Session (3:30 PM): Meet at Ingresso Piangoloni; includes a tour and photo shoot at the Pantheon.
Evening Session (7:30 PM): Meet at Ingresso Piangoloni; arrival of Napoleon and Murat followed by group tours of historical stops.
Booking: Mandatory via Eventbrite.
Admission: Free.

Sunday, May 31 | 3:30 PM
The Certosa of Bologna: An Open Book on History

An "ABC" tour for first-time visitors, covering everything from the Etruscan necropolis to the monastery and the modern cemetery. Visit the tombs of famous figures like Lucio Dalla, Giosue Carducci, and Alfieri Maserati.

Organized by: Mirarte.
Booking: Mandatory at mirartecoop.it/eventi/.
Admission: €14.00 full / €10.00 reduced.

May 28 – September 25, 2026
Theater Workshop: Souls on Stage

A sensory theater workshop held within the cemetery itself. Led by actress Luisa Vitali and director Luca Ghelfi, the course uses the statues and epitaphs as inspiration for vocal and physical expression.

Schedule: Generally on Thursdays after closing (sunset or night); approx. 2 hours per session.
Cost: €100 for a minimum of 4 sessions.
Meeting Point: Italian Military Monument, via della Certosa 22.
Info/Booking: luisa.vitali@rimacheride.it (WhatsApp only) at +39 335 6820121.

May 22 – June 7, 2026
Exhibition: Walks in Certosa

From Neoclassicism to Liberty in Funerary Monuments | Chiostro dell’Ossaia / delle Madonne
A photographic exhibition by Artecittà-APS documenting a century of funerary art, from Neoclassical motifs to the Art Nouveau revolution.

Visiting Hours: Daily, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

May 2026 | Free Guided Tours
Scheduled on: May 23 (10:30 AM), May 24 (4:00 PM), May 29 (10:30 AM), May 31 (10:30 AM)

Booking: Mandatory at info@bolognartecitta.it or +39 333 6917884 (WhatsApp only).

Medicina - Medicina Cemetery

Sunday, May 24 | 10:30 AM | Guided Tour
Paths of Memories from Medicina

A walk from the Municipal Library to the Historical Cemetery to discover the figures who contributed to the history of their community. During the tour, participants will receive a copy of the cemetery guide, produced thanks to Regional Law 21/2022.

Organized by: Municipality of Medicina with Area Blu and the Museo del Risorgimento di Bologna.
Meeting Point: Entrance of the Library, via Pillio 1, Medicina.
Admission: Free with reservation at +39 0516979209 or serviziculturali@comune.medicina.bo.it.

Wednesday, May 27 | 9:30 PM | Guided Tour
Faces, Stories, and Words from the City of Medicina

A nocturnal walk to rediscover the present through the forms of the past. Rice weeders (mondine), teachers, and artisans who lived through and documented the long period from Italian Unification to the birth of the Republic. During the tour, the cemetery guide (Regional Law 21/2022) will be distributed. Note: Bring a flashlight or use your smartphone light; comfortable shoes are recommended.

Organized by: Municipality of Medicina with Area Blu and the Museo del Risorgimento di Bologna.
Meeting Point: 15 minutes before the start at the entrance of the Historical Cemetery, via della Resistenza 322.
Admission: Free with reservation at +39 0516979209 or serviziculturali@comune.medicina.bo.it.

San Giovanni in Persiceto - San Giovanni in Persiceto Cemetery

Sunday, May 24 | 4:00 PM | Guided Tour
To Say, To Do, To Teach

With the birth of the new Kingdom of Italy, a gradual effort to improve literacy across the nation began, establishing a minimum requirement for compulsory schooling—initially for two years, and later extended to three. The transfer of knowledge became a way to shape independent and supportive citizens, and an opportunity to "leave a positive mark" on younger generations by nurturing their dreams and vocations. Education was seen as a bridge between people and cultures. Walking through the courtyards and porticoes of the Historical Monumental Cemetery, we will discover the stories of teachers and mentors who made Persiceto famous in the fields of music, science, literature, and medicine.

Meeting Point: In front of the entrance of the Historical Monumental Cemetery (Circonvallazione Vittorio Veneto, 24).
Admission: Full: €12.00 / Reduced (Ages 14-18): €7.00 / Children under 14: Free
Booking: Mandatory.

Information & Reservations: IAT-R PIANURA BOLOGNESE - Tourist Information Office
Phone & WhatsApp: +39 348 731 8029
Email: cultura.turismo@comunepersiceto.it

Theatrical performance at Certosa Monumental Cemetery

In July and August 2025, the Certosa Monumental Cemetery hosted "Pen, Bread and Justice", a play highlighting equality, solidarity, and justice through the stories of Bologna’s important historical figures.

About the event

As part of the Certosa 2025 Summer Calendar, the Certosa Monumental Cemetery in Bologna, Italy, hosted the theatrical performance "Pen, Bread and Justice" (in Italian "Penna, Pane e Giustizia").

Produced by Associazione Rimacheride and directed by Giovanna Manfredini, the performance featured Luisa Vitali and Nicola Fabbri, with an original text by Giacomo Gailli. The play presented the stories of three important historical figures from Bologna, through which the values of equality, solidarity, and justice were reflected.

• 1878 – Gualberta Alaide Beccari, a Mazzinian and pioneering voice of the emancipation magazine La Donna, educated people about equality. Gender equality was her mission.
• 1914 – Francesco Zanardi, elected Mayor of Bologna on a socialist electoral programme focused on bread and literacy, is shown in a dialogue with a baker, symbolizing the everyday work that sustains community life.
• 1939 – Mario Finzi, a political and civil activist during the Second World War and founder of Delasem, built a network that helped save millions of Jews from extermination, illustrating that peace is built through solidarity and trust.

Peace, justice and strong institutions

The project was realized as part of the ASCE "Significant Cemeteries for Sustainable Europe" initiative, which included numerous activities during the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries (WDEC) and throughout the year. In 2025, it focused on peace, justice, and strong institutions—Goal 16 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

*Cover photo by Simone Bonetti, in-post photo by Giacomo Gailli.

WDEC 2025 in Bologna and the Metropolitan City

Discover the diverse program of events taking place in Bologna metropolitan area during Week of Discovering European Cemeteries 2025.

In the Bologna metropolitan area, there are 5 cemeteries recognized as "monumental and historic cemeteries of Emilia-Romagna" under Regional Law 21/2022: the Certosa Cemetery of Bologna, the Piratello Cemetery of Imola, the Casaglia Cemetery of Marzabotto, the Medicina Cemetery, and the San Giovanni in Persiceto Cemetery.

During the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, the Città Metropolitana di Bologna (Metropolitan City of Bologna) and Settore Musei Civici Bologna (Bologna Civic Museums Sector), for the second consecutive year, are promoting a coordinated calendar of guided tours and initiatives dedicated to historical, artistic, and naturalistic itineraries in four of these locations.

Bologna

Friday, May 23rd
3:30 PM
Reading Aloud in Certosa
Street names come from the past and the history of our city; they define a web of connections between our lives and those of who came before us. Knowing why these names were chosen, and in which historical moments, leads to a collective awareness of past and ongoing changes, amidst removals, elisions, disavowals, and cancellations: the path we propose in Certosa leads us to rediscover the roots of this collective history.
Organized by the Associazione Amici della Certosa.
Booking required: prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com.
Meeting point: Main entrance (courtyard of San Girolamo Church), via della Certosa 18.
Admission: Free donation (free for members of Associazione Amici della Certosa)

Friday, May 23rd
4:15 PM
Free in the Sky of Glory
Guided tour with Roberto Martorelli.
To remember the men and women who fought for the values of freedom and democracy and contributed to the birth of the Republic, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Italy's Liberation from Nazi-Fascism.
Guided tour organized by the Museo civico del Risorgimento with Associazione Amici della Certosa.
Booking required: prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com. A confirmation email of your booking is necessary.
Meeting point: Main entrance (courtyard of San Girolamo Church), via della Certosa 18.
Admission: Full price €10 / Reduced for Card Cultura holders €8 (payment preferably with exact change)

Saturday, May 24th
3:00 PM
Really?! Chronicles from the Certosa of Bologna
Guided tour with Roberto Martorelli.
A walk through the porticoes and galleries of the Certosa, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Illustrious visits, licit and illicit love stories, murders, political demonstrations, secret meetings. In the past, the cemetery was a much less quiet place than you might think.
Guided tour organized by the Museo civico del Risorgimento with Associazione Amici della Certosa.
Booking required: prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com. A confirmation email of your booking is necessary.
Meeting point: Main entrance (courtyard of San Girolamo Church), via della Certosa 18.
Admission: Full price €10 / Reduced for Card Cultura holders €8 (payment preferably with exact change)

Sunday, May 25th
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Painted Certosa. Discovering Painters and Museums between the 19th and 20th Centuries
Perhaps you don't know that the Monumental Cemetery of Bologna is also a painting gallery! In the early 19th century, monuments were not sculpted, but painted. Bring a pen or pencil; we invite you to discover some works and their creators starting from the historical-artistic Info Point, where you will find a mediator who will help you navigate within the Certosa, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Porticoes of Bologna" project.
Mediation activity organized by MIA - Innovative and Open Museums for the Museo civico del Risorgimento.
Starting point: Historical-artistic Info Point (courtyard of San Girolamo Church), via della Certosa 18.
Admission: Free

Wednesday, May 28th
4:00 PM
All of Bologna
Guided tour with Roberto Martorelli.
It's time for Big History: a tour dedicated to the most famous people of the 19th and 20th centuries who rest in the Cemetery. Politicians, artists, intellectuals, industrialists, philanthropists who absolutely must be known while strolling through the monumental cemetery, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Guided tour organized by the Museo civico del Risorgimento with Associazione Amici della Certosa.
Booking required: prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com. A confirmation email of your booking is necessary.
Meeting point: Main entrance (courtyard of San Girolamo Church), via della Certosa 18.
Admission: Full price €10 / Reduced for Card Cultura holders €8 (payment preferably with exact change)

Thursday, May 29th
3:30 PM
Where Hate Ends - A Contemporary Reflection on War
If the dead could speak, they would still have many things to tell us. The Certosa welcomes everyone, those who lived in peace and those who were overwhelmed by tragic events. But would the voices of those who suffered a war be enough to warn us? A mournful choir of the buried tries to bring its message of peace to those still on earth who are capable of avoiding armed conflict.
Project by Alberto Alvisi.
Screening organized by Associazione Amici della Certosa - Visual Arts, in collaboration with Museo civico del Risorgimento and Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali.
Booking required: amicidellacertosa@gmail.com.
Meeting point: Main entrance (courtyard of San Girolamo Church), via della Certosa 18.
Admission: Free donation / Free for members of Associazione Amici della Certosa

Thursday, May 29th
7:00 PM
101 Things to Know About the Certosa
Guided tour with Roberto Martorelli.
A sunset walk to discover the 101 things you absolutely must know about the monumental cemetery.
Guided tour organized by the Museo civico del Risorgimento with Associazione Amici della Certosa.
Booking required: prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com. A confirmation email of your booking is necessary.
Meeting point: Main entrance (courtyard of San Girolamo Church), via della Certosa 18.
Admission: Full price €10 / Reduced for Card Cultura holders €8 (payment preferably with exact change)

Thursday, May 29th, 9:00 PM / Saturday, May 31st, 3:00 PM
Secret Certosa
Guided tour with Roberto Martorelli.
A guided tour to walk in the silence of the cemetery, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hidden rooms, little-explored cloisters, splendid works of art scarcely visible to the distracted visitor. The cemetery's rooms and its monuments tell of forbidden loves, suspicious deaths, and irreproachable lives. A stone book to leaf through.
Guided tour organized by the Museo civico del Risorgimento with Associazione Amici della Certosa.
Booking required: prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com. A confirmation email of your booking is necessary.
Meeting point: Main entrance (courtyard of San Girolamo Church), via della Certosa 18.
Admission: Full price €10 / Reduced for Card Cultura holders €8 (payment preferably with exact change)

Sunday, June 1st
10:30 AM
Forever Elegant in the Gardens of the Certosa
Participants will be accompanied to the photography and drawing exhibition to discover the elegance of details created by the most skilled sculptors: details of past fashions sculpted in marble, captured by the photographic lens, or rendered on paper thanks to the course by artist Mara Guerrini.
Guided tour organized by Associazione Amici della Certosa - Visual Arts, in collaboration with Museo civico del Risorgimento and Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali.
Booking required: amicidellacertosa@gmail.com / 345 2699200 (WhatsApp only).
Meeting point: Main entrance (courtyard of San Girolamo Church), via della Certosa 18.
Admission: Free

Exhibition: Forever Elegant in the Gardens of the Certosa
June 1st - 20th, 2025
Monumental Cemetery of the Certosa of Bologna - Chiostro dell’Ossaia o delle Madonne (Ossuary or Madonna Cloister)
Visitors to the cemetery are offered a view of the elegance of details sculpted by the most skilled artists, and the poignant beauty of tombs nestled in the cloisters and galleries. Earrings, lace, hairstyles, shoes, buttons, moustaches, details of past fashions sculpted in marble, captured by the photographic lens, are exhibited alongside monuments, porticoes, plants, and views of the Certosa, rendered on paper. Since 2021, the Monumental Cemetery has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Porticoes of Bologna" project.
Photography and drawing exhibition organized by Arti Visive and T900 of the Associazione Amici della Certosa, and the course "Disegnare la Certosa con Mara Guerrini" (Drawing the Certosa with Mara Guerrini), in collaboration with the Museo civico del Risorgimento and Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali.
The exhibition is freely accessible during the cemetery's opening hours, open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Medicina

Tuesday, May 27th, 6:00 PM / Saturday, May 31st, 10:30 AM
Paths of Medicinese Memories
Two walks from the Municipal Library to the historic Cemetery, discovering some personalities who contributed to the history of their community. During the walk, the cemetery guide, created thanks to Regional Law 21/2022, will be distributed and presented.
Guided tour organized by the Municipality of Medicina with Area Blu.
Meeting point: Library entrance, via Pillio 1, Medicina.
Admission: Free
Info: serviziculturali@comune.medicina.bo.it / 051 6979209

Imola

Sunday, June 1st
5:00 PM
The Monumental Cemetery of Piratello in Imola: A Journey Through Architecture, Sculptural Works, and Centenary Trees
Guided tour with Elena Scheda.
The Piratello Cemetery of Imola was built 3.5 km from the city center to prevent any epidemiological contagion and began to be used in 1822.
During the visit, the architectural evolution of the last 200 years, the main monuments, sacred furnishings, and epitaphs of illustrious personalities who rest here will be illustrated, including, among others, Andrea Costa, many partisans, Giuseppe Scarabelli, Giovanni Codronchi Argeli, Eugenia Codronchi Argeli (Sphinx), Luigi Orsini, Anacleto Margotti, and Francesco Alberghetti. Attention will also be paid to the cemetery's arboreal heritage, composed of about 500 specimens including magnolias and centuries-old cedars of Lebanon.
Guided tour organized by the Municipality of Imola and Area Blu.
Booking required
Meeting point: Entrance of the Piratello Sanctuary of Imola, via Emilia 27, Imola.
Admission: Free
Info: dott.elenascheda@gmail.com / 347 7425404 (WhatsApp only)

San Giovanni in Persiceto

Sunday, June 1st
10:00 AM
The Immortality of Memory in San Giovanni in Persiceto
The guided tour of the city's Monumental Cemetery intertwines memory, art, and symbolism to remember the protagonists of the Liberation from Nazi-Fascism. Individual tombs and collective monuments will be the starting point for retracing a crucial part of our history.
Guided tour organized by the Municipality of San Giovanni in Persiceto.
Meeting point: Entrance of the Monumental Cemetery, Circonvallazione Vittorio Veneto, San Giovanni in Persiceto.
Admission: Full price €12 / Reduced €7
Info: cultura.turismo@comunepersiceto.it / 051 6812955

The T900 project: A bridge between generations

The T900 project, promoted by the Associazione Amici della Certosa di Bologna, aims to preserve the memory of the Certosa Monumental Cemetery in Bologna through art.

A place of memory

The Certosa Monumental Cemetery, which houses many of the Bologna families of the past, is an architectural work of great artistic and historical value. The tombs found here, true funerary artistic works, are designated MONUMENTUM, in Latin REMEMBRANCE, a place of memory and testimony for future generations.

About the T900 project

The project promoted by the Associazione Amici della Certosa di Bologna, focusing on individual significant tombs from the 20th century, aims to create a bridge between the past, present, and future, and to preserve over time the MEMORY that has been entrusted to us.

Through the active and direct participation of students, members of the Association, and Bologna citizens, a pilot project has come to life, aimed at increasing awareness of a growing number of funerary monuments. T900, conceived and coordinated by architect Francisco Pérez Amitrano, Vice President of the Association, has benefited from the collaboration of the Museo civico del Risorgimento of the Municipality of Bologna.

It has been presented at the Certosa with new itineraries, coinciding with the Week of Discovering European Cemeteries at the end of the school year.

Public presentation and archiving

In 2024, for the second consecutive year, students and teachers from the high school Liceo Artistico F. Arcangeli of Bologna, along with researchers and photographers from the Association, publicly presented their participation in the "Tombs ’900" project: students with graphic drawings and renderings of the tombs, and members with archival research and high-quality photographic documentation.

The collected materials are preserved by the Associazione Amici della Certosa with a dual intent: to build a growing archive for the benefit of the community and to foster in young students the MEMORY of their city.

Schools on Cemeteries

The Associazione Amici della Certosa di Bologna actively participates in the ASCE Schools on Cemeteries project and the T900 project is an excellent example of how to involve schoolchildren and youth in learning and preservation of cultural heritage in cemeteries through art.

WDEC 2024 in the Metropolitan City of Bologna

Discover the WDEC program in the cities of Bologna, Imola, Medicina, and Persiceto in Italy.

The Metropolitan City of Bologna and the Bologna Civic Museums Sector for the first time promote a coordinated program of initiatives among the four cemeteries in the Bologna area recognized as "monumental and historic cemeteries of Emilia-Romagna" according to Regional Law 21/2022: the Certosa Monumental Cemetery in Bologna, the Piratello Cemetery in Imola, the Cemetery of Medicina, and the Cemetery of San Giovanni in Persiceto.

Here is the complete programme:

BOLOGNA

Friday, May 24, 2 p.m.
Tombs of the twentieth century: memory and custody
Volunteers from the Associazione Amici della Certosa, together with students from the Liceo Artistico Arcangeli high school, present their testimonies of participation in the "Tombe '900" project that was carried out on 10 monumental tombs. A walk to discover sculptures and architecture from the last century.
Meeting organized by the Associazione Amici della Certosa in collaboration with Museo civico del Risorgimento, Liceo Artistico Arcangeli and Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali.
Reservations required by writing to amicidellacertosa@gmail.com.
Meet at the Info Point at the main entrance (church courtyard, north portico), Via della Certosa 18.
Admission: free

Friday, May 24, 5 p.m.
Diverdeinverde in Certosa | Ornamental greenery and phytomorphic decoration in the cemetery of Bologna
A visit to the Certosa, with Roberto Martorelli, dedicated to the peculiarities of the cemetery's ornamental greenery and phytomorphic decorations, with a symbolic character, found in funerary monuments.
Participation is reserved for Diverdeinverde card holders, with reservations required at www.diverdeinverde.fondazionevillaghigi.it.
As part of Diverdeinverde - Open Gardens of the City and the Hill. In collaboration with the Museo civico del Risorgimento and Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali.
Meet at the main entrance (church courtyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Admission: with Diverdeinverde card

Friday, May 24, 8:30 p.m.
Facts and misdeeds in Certosa: one Cemetery, many stories
In this tour inaugurating Mirarte's summer season, like an ancient book, the Charterhouse opens before your eyes revealing fascinating and incredible stories. Like the different chapters of an ancient text, we will go to explore its many aspects and thus discover a Noir Charterhouse with its crimes, a funny Charterhouse made of surreal anecdotes, a romantic and passionate Certosa, and a Famous Charterhouse with its best-known characters. A journey through silent cloisters and white statues that stand out in the darkness of the night, discovering the magic of this extraordinary place.
Guided tour by Mirarte.
Reservations required at www.mirartecoop.it.
Meet at the main entrance (church courtyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Admission: € 13.00 full / € 8.00 reduced (children 6-12 years, people with disabilities) (for each paying admission two euros will be donated to the enhancement of the Certosa Monumental Cemetery)

Saturday, May 25, 10:30 a.m.
Truth or Lies?
"To see, by reading the inscriptions, so many virtuous, beloved, regretful creatures, one would be tempted to believe that the best half of mankind ascended to heaven and left nothing on earth but rejection." So wrote Basile Joseph Ducos after his visit to the Certosa in Bologna between 1819 and 1820. Together with Roberto Martorelli we will stroll through the cemetery-now a UNESCO World Heritage Site-to find out if indeed epigraphs always tell the truth...
Guided tour by the Associazione Amici della Certosa in collaboration with the Museo civico del Risorgimento.
Reservation required by writing to prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com. Email confirmation of reservation is required.
Meet at the main entrance (church courtyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Admission: € 8.00 (payment preferable with cash)

Sunday, May 26, 3 p.m.
Painters' lives - glimpses of Bolognese painting aloud
An itinerary through the monumental cemetery-now a Unesco heritage site as part of the Portici di Bologna-with researchers and readers from the Associazione Amici della Certosa, in collaboration with Mara Guerrini's School of Painting. Discovering and re-discovering the many men and women whose brushes have marked the history of painting in Bologna and beyond. Accompanied by Lucia Vanghi.
Route organized by the Associazione Amici della Certosa in collaboration with the Museo civico del Risorgimento.
Reservations required by writing to amicidellacertosa@gmail.com or 345 2699200 (WhatsApp only).
Admission: free offer (free for members of the Associazione Amici della Certosa)

Wednesday, May 29, 6:30 p.m.
101 things to know about the Certosa
The most fascinating masterpieces, cloisters and galleries, artists and celebrities. A sunset walk with Roberto Martorelli to discover the 101 things you absolutely must know about the monumental cemetery, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 
Guided tour organized by the Associazione Amici della Certosa in collaboration with the Museo civico del Risorgimento.
Reservations required by writing to prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com. It is necessary to receive an email of successful reservation.
Meet at the main entrance (church courtyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Admission: € 8.00 (payment preferable with cash)

Wednesday, May 29, 9 p.m. and Tuesday, Aug. 13, 8:30 p.m.
101 things to know about the Charterhouse
The most fascinating masterpieces, cloisters and galleries, artists and celebrities. A nighttime walk with Roberto Martorelli to discover the 101 things you absolutely must know about the monumental cemetery, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bring a led light or turn on the one on your smartphone, you'll need it.
Guided tour organized by the Associazione Amici della Certosa in collaboration with the Museo civico del Risorgimento.
Reservation required by writing to prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com. You must receive an email of successful reservation.
Meet at the main entrance (church courtyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Admission: € 8.00 (payment preferable with cash)

Saturday, June 1, 2 p.m. and August 31, 3 p.m.
All the Women of the Charterhouse
The epigraphs of the silent city often remember women as wives, consorts, spouses, sisters. But there are memories of their contribution to society, so we find Brigida, Gualberta, Lina, Tommasina. A walk with Roberto Martorelli through the Monumental Cemetery, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Guided tour by the Associazione Amici della Certosa with the Museo civico del Risorgimento. 
Reservations required by writing to prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com. It is necessary to receive an email of successful reservation.
Meet at the main entrance (church courtyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Admission: € 8.00 (payment preferable with cash)

Sunday, June 2, 3 p.m.
Cemetery bestiary | discovering the Carthusian undergrowth
Cemeteries are areas of high biodiversity; it is not uncommon to come across guardian felines among loculi, squirrels squeaking among yews and cypresses, birds finding refreshment in the silence. Symbology and funerary iconography intersect with the animal kingdom, giving rise to a fantastic undergrowth of stone creatures with adventures and secrets to tell. Among owls and ophids, peacocks and moths, mysterious creatures, explorers and experiments, a walk to discover the cemetery bestiary that animates the Charterhouse. Route also suitable for children with Manuela Capece. 
Meeting organized by thenAssociazione Amici della Certosa, in collaboration with Museo del Risorgimento and Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali.
Reservations required by writing to amicidellacertosa@gmail.com.
Meet at the main entrance (church courtyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Admission: free offer (free for members of the Associazione Amici della Certosa)

MEDICINA

Sunday, May 26, 3 p.m.
Women of the lowlands, large and small stories of the Medicina community
A walk to discover some of the figures who contributed to the History of their community. 
The guided tour was organized by the Municipality of Medicina in collaboration with the Museo civico del Risorgimento di Bologna.
Meet at the entrance of the Medicina Cemetery, Via della Resistenza 322.
Admission: free

Friday, May 31, 8:45 p.m.
Ornamental and symbolic greenery. The presence of plants and flowers in cemeteries
A moment dedicated to the peculiarities of ornamental greenery in silent cities and the symbolism present in funerary monuments. 
Meeting organized by the Municipality of Medicina in collaboration with the Museo civico del Risorgimento di Bologna.
Meeting at the Sala del Camino of the Library, via Pillio 1. 
Admission: free

Sunday, June 2, 3 p.m.
Stories and people of the city of Medicina
A walk to discover the historic center of Medicina, starting from the memories and monuments of the center will reach the cemetery, where interesting memories of local history are preserved.
Guided tour by the Municipality of Medicina in collaboration with the Museo civico del Risorgimento di Bologna.
Meet at the former Lavatoio, Via dell'Osservanza.
Admission: free

SAN GIOVANNI IN PERSICETO

Sunday, May 26, 3:30 p.m.
Stories of women
A walk through the Monumental Cemetery to discover some female figures whose resourcefulness and modernity made them examples to follow in the 19th century. Singers, entrepreneurs, teachers, doctors or artisans, women whose work contributed to the social transformation of San Giovanni in Persiceto from a country village to a city. 
Reservations required at IAT Persiceto: 051 6812955 or cultura.turismo@comunepersiceto.it.
Meet in front of the Monumental Cemetery entrance, Circonvallazione Vittorio Veneto 24.
Admission: € 10.00 / € 5.00 (children from 7 years old)

Sunday, June 2, 3:30 p.m.
Immortal gardens
The ornamental greenery in the cloisters of the Monumental Cemetery of San Giovanni in Persiceto dialogues with the symbolic friezes of lush fruits and flowers, carved or cast in bronze, so beautiful as to suggest the rustling of foliage, the colors and lights, the scent and refreshment of a real garden. The many faces of plants will be told through funerary symbolism, myth and botany.
Reservations required at IAT Persiceto: 051 6812955 or cultura.turismo@comunepersiceto.it.
Meet in front of the Monumental Cemetery entrance, Circonvallazione Vittorio Veneto 24.
Admission: € 10.00 / € 5.00 (children 7 and under)

IMOLA

Saturday, June 1, 10 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Women and botany in history and art in Imola and beyond
A journey of memory to discover the female figures and botany included and depicted within the monumental cemetery of Piratello.
Guided tour organized by the Municipality of Imola.
Reservations required at 0542 602609 or musei@comune.imola.bo.it by noon on Friday, May 31 (max 25 people per group).
Meet in front of the Piratello Monumental Cemetery office building, Via Emilia Ponente 19A.
Admission: free

WDEC 2023 at Certosa, Bologna Monumental Cemetery

We present you the program of events that will take place in Bologna, Italy, during the WDEC 2023.

The Certosa of Bologna summer calendar, the programme of cultural events curated by the Civic Museum of the Risorgimento with the contribution of Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali, returns from May 27th to November 2nd to enhance and promote the knowledge of the historical, artistic and architectural heritage enclosed in the city monumental cemetery.

Highlighting its involvement in an international network for the enhancement of historic cemeteries, the Bolognese event starts on the occasion of the annual Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, organized by the ASCE – Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe to raise the awareness of European citizens on the importance of cemeteries, and present them from a different perspective to all their visitors.

Here is the programme of the events during WDEC 2023:

Saturday, May 27th, 10 AM | Laboratory
Certosa, Graves from the XX century (Tombe ‘900): memory and conservation

The volunteers from the Amici della Certosa Association, along with the students from the Arcangeli Art School of Bologna, present an account of their participation in the “Graves from the XX century (Tombe ‘900)” project, which was completed on 8 grave monuments.The Certosa, which hosts the majority of Bolognese families from the past, is an architectural work of a great artistic and historic value. The graves located here, which are actual funerary artworks, gain the title of MOMENTUM, which in Latin means MEMORY, a place of memory and testimony for future generations.

The project by the Amici della Certosa Association of Bologna wants to start from focusing on unique, significant graves from the XX century and then create a bridge between past, present and future, to preserve over time the MEMORY that was delivered to us, through the direct and collective participation of citizens (members and students).

Curated by Francisco Pérez and Lucia Vanghi from the Amici della Certosa Association, in partnership with the Arcangeli Art School (4D class) and the Civic Museum of the Risorgimento of Bologna.
Meeting at 9.45 AM at the historic-artistic Info Point (main entrance: churchyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Compulsory reservation to be made via e-mail, at the following address: amicidellacertosa@gmail.com.
Entrance: free

Sunday, May 28th, 10 AM | Guided tour
Bruno Boari – a low-profile artist

A journey with Roberto Martorelli and Angela Madesani, author of the monographic volume “Bruno Boari. Un artista sottovoce” (Nomos Edizioni, 2022), dedicated to the sculptor Bruno Boari (1896-1964).

We will retrace his intense activity, which lasted over 40 years and saw him engaging with different techniques: from sculpture to medal design, painting and the monuments of the Certosa of Bologna Monumental Cemetery, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A journey which, in our country’s history, dates back for its vast majority to the first half of the XX century, which was marked by two world wars and the presence of a dictatorship. A man of good character, a hard worker, politically conservative, and an artist of true talent.

Curated by the Amici della Certosa Association with the Civic Museum of the Risorgimento.
Meeting at the main entrance (churchyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Compulsory reservation to be made via e-mail at the following address: prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com (you must receive an e-mail to confirm the reservation).
Entrance: 8.00 € (it is preferable to pay cash).

Wednesday, May 31st, 7.30 PM | Guided tour
Do you know who died? A sunset visit to the Certosa 

Every death is a shocking event, but the death of public figures has an echo which is transmitted over time. During this guided tour with Michela Cavina, we will search for our city’s prominent personalities, who were regarded as actual local treasures and whose death was a real shock for several fellow citizens! We will find the famous poet, but also the composer of canzonettas, the hero of the Risorgimento and the woman of the show, mourned by all music lovers. There will also be remarkable women and heroes, as well as a well-known… dustman.

Curated by Mirarte.
Meeting at the entrance of the Church of San Girolamo della Certosa, Via della Certosa 18.
Compulsory reservation to be made at the following link: https://mirartecoop.it/eventi/.
Entrance: full 13.00 € / reduced 8.00 € (children from 6 to 12 years, persons with disabilities) (for every paid entrance, 2 EUR will be donated for improvement works to be carried out at the Certosa).

Wednesday, May 31st, 8.30 PM | Guided tour
The secret Certosa

A guided tour with Roberto Martorelli, to walk in the silence of the cemetery, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rooms hidden by the dark of night, poorly explored cloisters, wonderful artworks which are hardly visible by a distracted passer-by. The rooms of the cemetery and its monuments will tell stories of forbidden love, suspected deaths, irreprehensible lives. The first evening meeting of the summer 2023 at the Certosa.

Curated by the Amici della Certosa Association with the Civic Museum of the Risorgimento.
Meeting at the main entrance (churchyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Compulsory reservation to be made via e-mail at the following address: prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com (you must receive an e-mail to confirm the reservation).
Entrance: 10.00 € (it is preferable to pay cash)

Friday, June 2nd, 3.30 PM | Guided tour
Forms from the past – the discovery of the present

A walk with Roberto Martorelli to discover the roots of our Bolognese, Italian and European community. Internationally-renowned monuments, characters who made history, visits of famous foreigners to the cemetery. A place of peace and happiness where, in the past, citizen and tourists found food for thought and meditation.

The cemetery is part of the ASCE - Association of European Significant Cemeteries, the largest and most influential no-profit organization which is in charge of preserving and promoting the artistic and historic value of the places of the collective memory.

Curated by the Civic Museum of the Risorgimento.
Meeting at the main entrance (churchyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Entrance: free

Saturday, June 3rd, 03.30 PM | Laboratory
Green walks | Small explorations at the Certosa

An exploratory journey targeted at children from 5 to 11 years old, to discover together the Certosa, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During the walk, a few small observation exercises, focused on nature, art and poetry, will be proposed. With the help of a special map, we will cross this space and we will try to grasp the small magics of this place; at the end of the activity, the children will work on a personalized postcard, which portrays a glimpse of the city.

Curated by the Civic Museum of the Risorgimento in the context of “Museums and culture of accessibility”, a project by the Bologna Civic Museums Sector.
Meeting at 9.45 AM at the historic-artistic Info Point (main entrance: churchyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Entrance: free

Sunday, June 4th, 4 PM | Laboratory
The officinal Certosa – secrets of nature in the shade of cypress trees

On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the birth of Ulisse Aldrovandi, also the Amici della Certosa Association commemorates the father of natural science. A walk with Manuela Capece, among medical traditions, cosmetic remedies, historical anecdotes, officinal curiosities and more.

Curated by the Amici della Certosa Association, in partnership with the Civic Museum of the Risorgimento.
Meeting at the main entrance (churchyard), Via della Certosa 18.
Compulsory reservation to be made via e-mail at the following address: prenotazionicertosa@gmail.com.
Entrance: donation (free for the members of the Amici della Certosa Association)

Additional information: www.museibologna.it/risorgimento

The first regional law in Italy to promote the recognition and enhancement of historical cemeteries

On 15 December 2022, Regione Emilia-Romagna, Italy, approved the law enhancing regional cemeteries and expanding user gratification. The new law provides for everything from multimedia productions to tourist routes and funding for restoration and conservation projects, cataloging, exhibitions, and programs.

The monumental cemetery of the Certosa in Bologna and those in Ferrara and San Cataldo in Modena, plus the Villetta in Parma, accommodate simple tombstones, grandiose chapels, and absolute masterpieces. This long list has about eighty culturally “significant” cemetery sites in Emilia-Romagna, which can rely on an additional tool beginning today.

The law approved by the Legislative Assembly was put forward by the Regional Council for the Recognition and Enhancement of Monumental and Historical Cemeteries. The goal, in short, is to ensure the enhancement, preservation, and promotion of these assets, encouraging their use by citizens.

Mauro Felicori, the regional councilor for Culture and Landscape, stated, “Through this law, the first of its kind in Italy, the Region intends to recognize significant cemeteries as elements of the regional cultural heritage to be safeguarded and enhanced, as a tool for the cohesion and cultural growth of communities and all visitors. Also, the law will support a shared path through which a series of public and private players in the area can work to expand the enjoyment of this part of our regional cultural heritage, going beyond memory while simultaneously placing it within a European-wide perspective.”

Under the new law, membership in the “Monumental and Historical Cemeteries in Emilia-Romagna” network will provide the structures with national and international visibility through multimedia productions made by the Emilia-Romagna Region’s Cultural Heritage sector (publications and a website on significant cemeteries), as well as all communication materials distributed by the Region itself. They will also be included in a unique cultural tourism route marked with signposts and a logo.

Above all, Emilia-Romagna’s “significant” cemeteries will be able to take advantage of regional funding for restoration and preservation projects of the sites’ architectural, decorative, and monumental structures. Furthermore, the enhancement projects will consolidate knowledge of the cemetery site, its relations with the community, and historical-artistic emergencies.

Specifically, heritage cataloging and study activities, exhibitions and cultural programs, digital and multimedia projects, intercultural inclusion, residential projects for artists and researchers, school visits, and historical and cultural education will be eligible for funding. Lastly, staff involved in managing and enhancing Emilia-Romagna’s monumental cemeteries will have access to training courses.

The text of the law (in Italian) is available here: https://bur.regione.emilia-romagna.it/dettaglio-bollettino?b=7a44412f02cc42438c2acabc26a38edb.

WDEC 2022 in Bologna, Italy, and summer calendar

Art, history, theatre, music, to immerse yourself in the city of memory and discover its beauties and secrets. The Certosa of Bologna summer calendar, the review of cultural events curated by the Civic Museum of the Risorgimento of Bologna, with the contribution of Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali, returns from May 26th to November 2nd to enhance and promote the knowledge of the historical, artistic and architectural heritage enclosed in the monumental cemetery, regard as one of the most beautiful and important in Europe. 

The initiative launched in Bologna, which has now reached its fourteenth edition, is among the first national and international initiatives in tackling the complex challenge of changing the perception of cemeteries from places dedicated to the burial of the dead to places of significant cultural interest, which preserve a heritage that reflects the history of the city. Today, thanks to an increasingly widespread sensitivity, taking care of cemeteries means reclaiming the cultural dimensions that these places, which are actual open-air garden-museums, can offer as permanent educational environments for different audiences, from citizens to tourists, from adults to young people.  

About sixty appointments are proposed this year, which include guided tours, thematic visits, animated lessons, concerts and plays: about forty of them will take place during the evening. But there will be also activities at other times of the day – in the morning, in the afternoon, at sunset – and they will be capable of offering elements of astonishment, beauty and meditation thanks to the spectacular and precious monumental setting and its unique scenographic backgrounds. 

Every year, with the Certosa summer calendar, the Civic Museum of the Risorgimento renews an interdisciplinary collaboration agreement with the world of cultural associations, third sector and professional tour guides of the city, for a wide and multifaceted dissemination of the approaches of knowledge related to the monumental complex. 

In 2022, the museum has proposed three main topics, through a public notice for the selection of the project proposals to be included in the program: the history of Bologna in the “Long nineteenth century” (1796-1915); Young Italy, young Europe; Ideas, struggles, emancipation; the tenth anniversary of Lucio Dalla’s death. 

Alongside these three strands are other narrative plots, full of fascination and suggestion, which draw inspiration from the testimonies of the past that the place offers: from funeral rituals, as an element of religious and civic identity, to the biographical events of women who lived in different eras and share the courage of social emancipation inspired by Giuseppe Mazzini’s and the partisans’ ideals. From the history of the Pizzardi family, a protagonist of the economic and political development of Bologna, retraced on the occasion of the centenary of the marquis Carlo Alberto Pizzardi’s death, to the work of the sculptor and medalist Renaud Martelli, author of funerary art masterpieces which were made at the Certosa in the 1940s and 1960s. And, furthermore, the Trekking dell’Altro Mondo, with a dynamic and unusual marathon to experience the Certosa in the spirit of the playable city: guided tours dedicated to great citizens of Bologna, such as Ottorino Respighi, Giorgio Morandi, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Roberto Roversi; the journey of the sculptor Marco Marchesini to discover, in the days of the summer solstice, the astronomical and astrological coincidences that we can find inside and outside the cemetery; the fourth edition of the multi-sensory performance Sound and Silence; the requiem mass between Marco Enrico Bossi and Ildebrando Pizzetti. The thematic guided tours to discover crimes and passions, arcane and mysterious symbols, are also re-proposed, in a few cases with new itineraries: the audience always follows them with great participation. 

In addition to the programming, there is a new element which contributes to the peculiarity of this fourteenth edition. The stage, made up of a harmonious succession of cloisters, rooms, galleries, aedicles and chapels, with examples of highly-regarded funerary art, an expression of the main styles and artistic currents between the XIX and XX centuries, offers a rediscovered point of attractiveness in the portico, included among the 12 components selected as a representative expression of the urban identity of Bologna and its system of covered walkways, which in 2021 were awarded with the UNESCO World Heritage recognition. 

Highlighting its involvement in an international network for the enhancement of historic cemeteries, the Bolognese event starts on the occasion of the annual Week of Discovering European Cemeteries, organized by the ASCE – Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe to raise the awareness of European citizens on the importance of cemeteries, and present them from a different perspective to all their visitors.

As usual, the calendar will extend beyond the summer season and will end symbolically in remembrance on November 2nd, 2022, the day on which the Day of the Dead is celebrated. 

The Civic Museum of the Risorgimento participates in the SE.F.IT. technical committee, created for the historical-artistic enhancement of the Italian monumental cemeteries, made up of a small group of members of UTILITALIA-SE.F.IT (Servizi Funerari Italiani), among which are the cemeteries of Genoa, Turin, Rome, Ferrara, Milan, Trento, Bolzano, Mantua, Parma and Modena. 

On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the death of Giuseppe Mazzini, on May 26th, Bologna, with its wonderful Certosa Cemetery, will be the pilot city where the national project “GIOVINE ITALIA, GIOVINE EUROPA – ideas, struggles, emancipation - 2022 Historical Reenactment”, proposed by 8cento APS and to which the technical committee has adhered, will start. New cultural itineraries, animated by scenes with participants in nineteenth-century costumes, will travel throughout Italy to celebrate the memory of female characters who participated in or contributed actively to write the history of Mazzini. 

The Certosa’s 2022 summer calendar has been created by Istituzione Bologna Musei | Civic Museum of the Risorgimento with: Associazione Co.Me.Te., Coro Euridice, Associazione Dolci Accenti - Educazione e Divulgazione Musicale, Istantanea Teatro, Associazione culturale Memori, Jaya - MetROzero, Cooperativa sociale Mirarte, Gruppo teatrale Più o Meno, Associazione culturale Rimachèride, Teatro Circolare.

With the collaboration of: 8cento APS, ASCE - Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe, Associazione Amici della Certosa, MIA – Musei Inclusivi e Aperti, Padri Passionisti, Teatro del Baraccano.

In the context of: Bologna Estate 2022, the program of activities promoted by the Municipality of Bologna and the Metropolitan City of Bologna – Bologna-Modena Tourist Territory. 

With the contribution of: Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali

Info and complete programme: www.museibologna.it/risorgimento

Certosa of Bologna designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the porticos of the city

On July 28, 2021, the porticos of Bologna were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

The candidacy process began in 2006, when they became part of the Italian list of candidate sites. The property includes 12 groups of porticos and the surrounding built-up areas, located within the Municipality of Bologna.

This architectural typology is undoubtedly the most representative of the city and extends for a total of 62 kilometers. It is, in fact, considered an element of urban identity - as the Italian Minister of Cultural Heritage Dario Franceschini underlines, highlighting how its unique nature deserves to be promoted. 

In the course of 2020 the candidacy dossier has been revised, enriched and strengthened by including other places in the fabric of the city of historical, architectural and artistic importance closely related to the porticos selected, such as the Palazzo della Mercanzia, the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Baraccano, the system of Piazze (Maggiore, Re Enzo and Nettuno), the stretch of the plain of the portico of San Luca up to the Arco Bonaccorsi, the Pinacoteca Nazionale, the portico of Alemanni and part of the monumental area of the Certosa Cemetery. 

With this recognition, the Certosa of Bologna Monumental Cemetery becomes a World Heritage Site. 

The straight porticoed structure over seven hundred meters long that connects the cemetery to the portico of San Luca - the longest in the world - is a unique example of a modern sepulchral portico, built between 1811 and 1834 thanks to the generosity of its citizens. Ercole Gasparini's project was to physically connect the city of the dead with the city of the living, continuing the centuries-old local tradition of connecting places outside the city center to the city. 

The Certosa Cemetery was founded in 1801 after the Napoleonic edict of Saint-Cloud, on the model of the ancient Roman sepulchral roads, converting the Carthusian convent built in 1334, of which today the church of San Girolamo remains. The monumental complex is the result of an articulated stratification of loggias, cloisters and buildings belonging to various chronological phases, whose fulcrum is represented by the Chiostro Terzo, which is influenced by the local neoclassical culture. Inside, there is a noteworthy repertoire of paintings and sculptures made by the most virtuous Bolognese artists active in the 19th and 20th centuries. 

In the cemetery are housed some important local and national figures: among them the statesman Marco Minghetti; the painters Giorgio Morandi and Bruno Saetti; the Nobel Prize for literature Giosue Carducci and the writer Riccardo Bacchelli; the opera singer Carlo Broschi, the composer Ottorino Respighi and the singer Lucio Dalla; the general Giuseppe Grabinski and the prime minister Taddeo Matuszevic; as well as the founders of the companies Maserati, Ducati and Weber and of the publishing house Zanichelli. 

Throughout the nineteenth century, the Cemetery was a privileged destination for visitors to Bologna, whose most illustrious names include: Lord Byron, Jules Janin, Charles Dickens and Theodor Mommsen.

It is, therefore, an exceptional place from the historical and cultural artistic point of view in the national and international panorama, worthy of the highest form of protection and promotion. The Portico of Certosa was designed by Ercole Gasparini between 1811 and 1834. In the original idea, the building was meant to be longer, but only the section from the Arco del Meloncello to the Reno Canal was built. In reality, there are traces of another segment, totally distorted and incorporated with the subsequent enlargements: it is a short corridor that runs along the west side of the courtyard of the Monumental Entrance and that preserves some nineteenth-century tombs. Gasparini's idea was that the portico should connect seamlessly with the Certosa, reaching its center, giving real form to an ideal union between the city of the living and the city of the dead. 

The area selected as UNESCO heritage is the one that has more relevance both from an architectural and theoretical point of view with Gasperini's project. Some areas of the twentieth century are thus included because they were built respecting the urban form of the nineteenth-century cemetery (Chiostro VIII, Chiostro IX for example) or because they conclude an idea that was never realized. The Chiostro VI or of the Great War was completed almost a century after the Portico della Certosa, but it traces the area and the spirit of what should have been the 'Chiostro del Pantheon' which was only realized in the south side, then demolished and preserved only for the monuments that had been built in the meantime. It is not by chance that in this part of the VI Cloister there are some tombs dating back to the beginning of the nineteenth century, such as the one dedicated to the sculptor Alessandro Franceschi, whose presence would not be explained otherwise.

Certosa of Bologna summer calendar 2019 (23rd May - 26th September)

The Certosa of Bologna events calendar is back from 23rd May to 26th September 2019. It is a summer calendar organised by the Museo civico del Risorgimento and now on its 11th year.

It includes more than sixty dates ranging from travelling shows, audio-visual performances and theatre which will make use of the Certosa as an attractive backdrop, in addition to the now regular guided visits to Bologna’s art and history. The evening events will also be supplemented by guided day visits and sunset walks, workshops and conferences.

The new feature this year is the events organised by the three important town associations working with disability: Accaparlante – CDH, Istituto dei Ciechi Francesco Cavazza and Fondazione Gualandi A Favore Dei Sordi.

For the first time in Bologna these three associations have worked together on a shared cultural project, designing four workshop-itineraries (13th and 20th July, 12th and 21st September) and a theatre date (24th September).
In the first case visitors will find out about past work and stories via accessible itineraries in which all their senses will be put to the test and they will have to work together to move around the Certosa, to give a voice to the work or find the exits. In the second, visitors will discover how a whole city can be memorised via their own bodies.

In conjunction with the beginning of the summer programme, from 23rd May, an English language website on the Certosa, created thanks to the contribution of Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali and the co-operation of Liceo Ginnasio “Luigi Galvani” and Associazione Amici della Certosa, will go online. It is designed to make this great Bologna monument more accessible and user friendly for both Italian and international tourists.

Once again designed to promote the Certosa outside the local area, too, the Museo civico del Risorgimento’s partnership with Tavolo Tecnico SE.F.IT. for the promotion of Italy’s historic and artistic cemetery sites will be continuing with a small number of members of UTILITALIA - SE.F.IT. (Servizi Funerari Italiani), including Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali, with the participation of the museum itself together with the most important Italian cemeteries including Genoa, Turin, Rome, Ferrara, Milan, Trento and Mantua.

The initiatives proposed by the technical panel on the occasion of the annual European Exploring Cemeteries Week promoted by ASCE – Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe, this year from 24th May to 2nd June, include the publication of a brochure encompassing all the activities organised by 10 Italian cemeteries (in addition to the Bologna Certosa, the Trento, Villetta di Parma, Genoa Staglieno, Certosa di Ferrara, Tempio crematorio Socrem in Turin, Monumentale di Milano, Monumentale di Torino, Bolzano, Monumentale di Mantova and Rome's Verano cemeteries will also be taking part).

In addition to this nation-wide promotion and publicity strategy, there will also be a photographic exhibition set up and visible in digital form at all participating cemeteries which will feature certain representative images of the cemeteries themselves.

In Bologna the photo gallery will be visible in digital format at the Certosa on both an info totem located in the room next to the history-art Info Point as well as online on www.storiaememoriadibologna.it. The totem, made by Liceo Arcangeli’s students on work experience, encompasses a tablet for web access which enables visitors to explore all the other contents of the Storia e Memoria di Bologna portal.

In terms of promoting the cemetery in tourist terms and in the context of improving public services, a wi-fi internet access service is available at the Info Point, thanks to the support of Bologna town council’s Digital and IT Agenda Sector, giving free access to the whole Iperbole Wireless network from the Chiesa di San Girolamo courtyard, too.

The example of Bologna confirms the growth of a cultural memory tourism sector whose focus is funerary monuments in the sense of cultural heritage, with an interesting level of internationalisation. In 2018 1748 people visited the site, including 126 non-Italians, registering at the Certosa Info Point. They came from 13 different nations: Italy, Great Britain, Spain, Mexico, Germany, France, Belgium, the United States, Austria, Russia, Japan, Holland and Vietnam.

The Certosa of Bologna. Summer calendar is realized by Istituzione Bologna Musei | Museo civico del Risorgimento with: Associazione Amici della Certosa, Associazione Correnti d'Arte - Compagnia d’Arte Drummatica, Associazione Culturale Youkali, Associazione culturale Rimachèride, Associazione culturale Didasco, Associazione Dolci Accenti, Associazione Musica e Nuvole, Associazione RestauriAmo, Associazione Vitruvio, Tempo Reale - Centro di Ricerca Produzione e Didattica Musicale, Fondazione Collegio Artistico Venturoli, Cooperativa Sociale Accaparlante - CDH, Fondazione Gualandi A Favore dei Sordi, G.A.I.A. eventi, Istituto dei Ciechi Francesco Cavazza, Istantanea Teatro.
With the cooperation fo: ASCE - Association of Significant Cemeteries in Europe, Associazione 8cento, BSC - Bologna Servizi Cimiteriali, AICS Bologna, Collettivo della Scuola di Musica Elettronica di Bologna, IT.A.CÀ - festival del turismo responsabile, Libreria Atlantide, Libreria Trame, Liceo Ginnasio Luigi Galvani.

Info: www.museibologna.it/risorgimento