The Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome

The Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome, often referred to as the English Cemetery, has long been regarded as one of the most significant sites of literary pilgrimage in Europe. Situated in the Testaccio district, adjacent to the Pyramid of Cestius, this cemetery has served as the final resting place of numerous writers, poets, and intellectuals since the early eighteenth century. Most famously, it holds the graves of John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, two major figures of English Romanticism, yet it is also home to an array of Italian authors, foreign intellectuals, and political exiles, all of whom have contributed to the literary and cultural landscape. As a space of remembrance, exile, and artistic legacy, the cemetery continues to attract writers, scholars, and tourists alike, offering a unique intersection of literary history and urban memory.

Since its establishment, the Non-Catholic Cemetery has embodied a certain sense of cultural liminality, serving those who, due to religious or national affiliations, could not be buried in Catholic consecrated ground. In this respect, it reflects a broader historical phenomenon of intellectual and artistic expatriation, particularly during the Romantic period, when Italy became a refuge for British and European artists seeking inspiration and escape. The serene beauty of the site, adorned with cypress trees, intricate funerary sculptures, and poetically inscribed tombstones, enhances its aura of contemplation. As per the remark often attributed to Oscar Wilde, it is “the holiest place in Rome”. Unlike more traditional sites of literary tourism, such as Shakespeare’s grave in Stratford-upon-Avon or Dante’s tomb in Ravenna, the Non-Catholic Cemetery is neither the birthplace nor the lifelong home of its most famous residents. Instead, it is a place of exile and early death, reinforcing its Romantic allure.

Among the graves that continue to draw visitors from around the world, that of John Keats (1795–1821) remains one of the most revered. Keats, who died in Rome at the age of twenty-five, succumbed to tuberculosis far from his homeland, his premature death cementing his reputation as the archetypal Romantic poet of doomed genius. His gravestone, marked by the famous epitaph, “Here lies One Whose Name was writ in Water”, speaks to his deep sense of unfulfilled literary ambition and the fleeting nature of human existence. The myth of Keats’ tragic end has contributed to the site’s status as a place of literary pilgrimage, with admirers often leaving flowers and notes upon his tomb. Buried beside him is his friend and companion, Joseph Severn, the artist who cared for Keats in his final months, further transforming the burial site into a poetic sanctuary.

Not far from Keats lies Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822), another key figure of English Romanticism whose untimely death in Italy has rendered him inseparable from the cultural mythology of the cemetery. Shelley drowned off the coast of Viareggio in 1822, and his body was cremated on the beach before his ashes were laid to rest in Rome. His tomb is inscribed with the poignant phrase “Cor Cordium” (Heart of Hearts), as well as a passage from The Tempest: “Nothing of him that doth fade, but doth suffer a sea-change into something rich and strange”. Shelley’s profound connection to Italy, where he spent his last years composing some of his most celebrated works, has ensured that his grave remains a focal point for admirers of Romantic poetry and literary exile. The presence of both Keats and Shelley within the cemetery reinforces its status as a memorial to the Romantic imagination, a space in which poetic ideals and the realities of early death converge.

While the Non-Catholic Cemetery is most frequently associated with these British literary figures, it also serves as the final resting place for several prominent Italian writers, poets, and political thinkers, reflecting the site’s cosmopolitan nature. Among them is Antonio Gramsci (1891–1937), the Marxist philosopher and co-founder of the Italian Communist Party, whose writings, particularly his Prison Notebooks, remain foundational in twentieth-century political and cultural theory. Gramsci’s grave has become a place of pilgrimage for intellectuals and political activists alike, its significance extending far beyond literary tourism into the realm of political history and critical thought.

More recent literary figures buried in the cemetery include Dario Bellezza (1944–1996) and Amelia Rosselli (1930–1996), two of Italy’s most innovative and challenging poets of the twentieth century. Bellezza, a disciple of Pier Paolo Pasolini, was a controversial yet highly regarded voice in Italian poetry, exploring themes of homosexuality, alienation, and death with unflinching intensity. His collections, such as Invettive e licenze (1971) and Morte segreta (1976), broke taboos, addressing the personal and political dimensions of queer identity and illness. Diagnosed with AIDS, Bellezza’s later work became increasingly preoccupied with themes of mortality and suffering, making his burial in the Non-Catholic Cemetery a particularly poignant marker of literary and social marginalisation. His grave now stands as an important site within the history of LGBTQAI+ literature in Italy, a space where poetry, identity, and memory intersect.

Similarly, Amelia Rosselli represents a unique case of linguistic and literary exile. Born in Paris to a family of Italian anti-fascist intellectuals, Rosselli lived in various countries before settling in Rome. Her poetry, notably Variazioni belliche (1964), is marked by radical linguistic experimentation, blending Italian, English, and French to articulate the fractured experiences of exile, trauma, and memory. In death, Rosselli remains in a state of cultural liminality, much as she did in life, her grave serving as a testament to the complex intersections between language, displacement, and artistic creation.

Another Italian literary figure buried in the cemetery is Carlo Emilio Gadda (1893–1973), one of the most significant modernist writers of the twentieth century. His best-known work, That Awful Mess on Via Merulana (1957), is an intricate blend of detective fiction, psychological depth, and social critique, reflecting the fractured reality of post-war Italy. Although Gadda’s grave attracts fewer visitors than those of Keats or Shelley, his presence within the cemetery reinforces its status as a repository of modern Italian literary history, connecting past and present through a shared landscape of artistic memory.

In contemporary times, literary tourism surrounding the Non-Catholic Cemetery has expanded considerably, driven by academic interest, guided tours, and cultural initiatives aimed at preserving and promoting the site’s legacy. The cemetery’s administration has also embraced digital archival projects, curated exhibitions and literary walks, ensuring this historic site remains a dynamic space of cultural engagement. As a place where Romantic mythology, modernist innovation, and political thought converge, the Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome stands not only as a site of burial but as a living testament to literature’s enduring power.

A comprehensive list of those interred at the Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome is available on its official website. From this, the following selection of international literary figures from various historical periods has been compiled:

• Ballantyne, Robert Michael (1825–1894) – Scottish writer, best known for The Coral Island.

• Bellezza, Dario (1944–1996) – Italian poet, notable for his explorations of homosexuality, alienation, and death.

• Camilleri, Andrea (1926-2019) – Italian writer, playwright, and director, internationally acclaimed for his Inspector Montalbano detective series, blending crime fiction with social commentary.

• Corso, Gregory (1930–2001) – American poet associated with the Beat Generation. • Crowninshield, Frederic (1845–1918) – American painter, poet, and former director of the American Academy in Rome.

• Curtis, Charles Densmore (1876–1925) – American archaeologist and writer.

• Dana, Richard Henry (1815–1882) – American writer, lawyer, and anti-slavery activist.

• D’Eramo, Luce (1925–2001) – Italian writer, known for her autobiographical accounts of fascism and exile.

• Gadda, Carlo Emilio (1893–1973) – Italian novelist, famous for That Awful Mess on Via Merulana.

• Gavazzi, Padre Alessandro (1809–1889) – Italian writer and chaplain in Garibaldi’s army.

• Gramsci, Antonio (1891–1937) – Italian philosopher, political theorist, and founder of the Italian Communist Party.

• Hauch, Carsten Johannes (1790–1872) – Danish poet and writer, born in Norway.

• Jacobson, Harald (1863–1913) – Swedish writer and poet.

• Janssen, Borge (1867–1933) – Danish writer and folklorist.

• Keats, John (1795–1821) – English poet of the Romantic movement.

• Lussu, Emilio (1890–1975) – Italian writer and politician, member of the Chamber of Deputies.

• Mafai, Miriam (1926–2012) – Italian journalist, writer, and politician, known for her contributions to feminist thought and her role in chronicling the history of Italian communism and women's emancipation.

• Marsh, George Perkins (1801–1882) – American ambassador to Italy (1861–1882), writer, and environmentalist.

• Mason, Richard (1919–1997) – British novelist.

• Melegari, Dora (1846–1924) – Italian journalist, poet, and philosopher.

• Meysenbug, Malwida Freiin von (1816–1903) – German writer, revolutionary, and advocate of women’s emancipation.

• Rosselli, Amelia (1930–1996) – Italian poet, known for her linguistic experimentation and exile narratives.

• Shelley, Percy Bysshe (1792–1822) – English poet of the Romantic period.

• Vedder, Elihu (1836–1923) – American painter, poet, and sculptor.

• Waiblinger, Wilhelm (1804–1830) – German poet and writer, biographer of Friedrich Hölderlin.

• Wilcock, Juan Rodolfo (1919–1978) – Argentine poet.

• Woolson, Constance Fenimore (1845–1894) – American writer and close friend of Henry James.

How to cite this dictionary entry: D’Amico, M. (2025). The Non-Catholic Cemetery in Rome (i.e., The English Cemetery/ Il Cimitero Acattolico). In R. Baleiro, G. Capecchi & J. Arcos-Pumarola (Orgs.). E-Dictionary of Literary Tourism. University for Foreigners of Perugia. https://doi.org/10.34623/zdg2-hn59