The Cimitero delle Fontanelle in the Rione Sanita area has reopened to strong public interest, and its nighttime opening drew record bookings. According to Il Mattino, the nighttime visit was scheduled to begin at 19:30, with full attendance reported for both guided visits and visits accompanied by young people from the neighbourhood using the audio guide.
The nighttime opening was linked to "Uanema – Festa degli altri vivi," an event promoted by the Municipality of Naples. Il Mattino reported that the event had already reached sold-out status for its nighttime opening.
What is not yet fully established is the longer-term schedule for night tours. The exact date and recurrence of the nighttime tour described in the article are not fully stated in the available material, and the sold-out status concerned the "Uanema" event. It does not establish that every future nighttime tour is sold out. The complete programme, duration, prices and booking conditions for the nighttime tour are also not available in the acquired text, which is in part because the Il Mattino article is reserved for premium subscribers.
A former quarry turned ossuary
The Fontanelle Cemetery originated as a tuff quarry and later became an ossuary used during major epidemics, including the plague of 1656 and the cholera epidemic of 1836–1837. That history is described on the cemetery's official website.
The site is associated with the Neapolitan devotion to the anime pezzentelle, or souls in Purgatory. The cemetery reopened in April 2026 after a period of closure and maintenance and enhancement works. The Municipality of Naples states that it reopened to the public on 18 April 2026.
What to look for inside
The official cemetery website identifies several main areas and figures connected with the cemetery's traditions, including the Captain, the Tribunal, Concetta and Golgotha. These names can help first-time visitors orient themselves and follow the visitor arrangements described on site.
The official visitor offer includes an audio-guide experience and guided tours in Italian. During the reopening period covered by Il Mattino, both guided visits and visits accompanied by local young people with the audio guide recorded full attendance.
Planning a daytime visit
For visitors who cannot attend a special nighttime opening, standard access provides the practical alternative.
Standard access requires advance booking and is available six days per week, from 10:00 to 18:00, with last admission at 17:15. Wednesday is the weekly closing day.
Because booking is mandatory, readers planning to go should check availability in advance through the official channels and choose between the audio-guide experience and a guided tour in Italian. Nighttime events such as "Uanema" follow separate arrangements, and readers should verify the start time, meeting point and booking rules announced for each specific date before travelling.
