# Palermo's Capuchin Catacombs: 1599 to 1920, €5

> The catacombs under Palermo's Capuchin convent hold about 8,000 embalmed bodies, from 1599 to 1920. Entry €5, daily, with a 12:30 to 3 pm break (2026).

URL: https://myitalia.it/attractions/catacombe-dei-cappuccini
Last updated: 2026-09-11

The Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo hold about 8,000 embalmed bodies laid out by sex, class and profession, and they open daily in two blocks, 9 am to 12:30 pm and 3 to 5:30 pm, for €5 (2026).

## About 8,000 bodies, 1599 to 1920

The catacombs began in 1599 beneath the Capuchin friars' convent and hold about 8,000 embalmed bodies, arranged by sex, social class and profession. Embalming took eight to twelve months per body.

The 8,000 is the Comune di Palermo's figure. The operator's own site publishes no count, and popular sources go as low as 2,000, so treat the number as an order of magnitude from the city, not a census.

Either way, the number is the warning. You walk corridors lined with human remains for as long as the visit lasts. It is not a museum of objects, and it is worth deciding before the door whether that is for you and for whoever is with you.

## Rosalia Lombardo, the last burial, 1920

The last burial, in 1920, was Rosalia Lombardo, a two-year-old girl in a glass case who has become the symbol of the place.

The operator confirms her story and the name of her embalmer, Alfredo Salafia. Her case is also a reminder that children are part of what you'll see.

## Two blocks a day, €5

The operator opens every day from 9 am to 12:30 pm, last entry 12:10 pm, and from 3 to 5:30 pm, last entry 5:10 pm (2026). The ticket is €5.

Two official sources disagree on the hours. The Comune di Palermo lists 9 am to 5:30 pm with no break, the operator lists the split day. This page follows the operator, since it's the one that locks the gate.

The price is the other way round: €5 appears only on the Comune's page, because the operator's ticket and price pages return an error. Arrive by noon or after 3, and don't plan the visit for the lunch hours.

## There is no step-free route

There is no accessible route for visitors with motor or visual disabilities, according to the site's own records.

That rules out wheelchairs, and it makes the visit hard for anyone who needs a guide by the arm. Ask at the entrance before buying if in doubt.

## Not part of Palermo's UNESCO site

Palermo's UNESCO serial site, inscribed on July 3, 2015, has nine monuments, and the catacombs are not one of them.

Seven are in Palermo: the Palazzo Reale with the Palatine Chapel, the Zisa, San Giovanni degli Eremiti, the Martorana, San Cataldo, the Cathedral and the Ponte dell'Ammiraglio. The other two are the cathedrals of Cefalù and Monreale. Those are at [Monreale](/attractions/palazzo-reale-monreale), and the city at [Palermo](/towns/palermo).

## FAQ

### How many mummies are in the Capuchin Catacombs?

About 8,000 embalmed bodies, according to the Comune di Palermo, laid out by sex, class and profession. The operator publishes no count, and popular sources give figures as low as 2,000. Burials ran from 1599 to 1920.

### What are the opening hours of the Capuchin Catacombs?

Every day, 9 am to 12:30 pm and 3 to 5:30 pm, with last entry at 12:10 and 5:10 pm (2026). The Comune di Palermo lists continuous hours from 9 to 5:30; the operator's split timetable is the one to plan on.

### Who is Rosalia Lombardo?

The last person buried in the catacombs, in 1920: a two-year-old girl in a glass case, embalmed by Alfredo Salafia. She has become the symbol of the place, and the operator's own site confirms her story and the embalmer's name.

### Are the Capuchin Catacombs wheelchair accessible?

No. The catacombs are not accessible to visitors with motor or visual disabilities. The ticket costs €5 (2026), a price published by the Comune di Palermo, since the operator's own price pages return an error.

## Sources

| Fact | Source | Confidence | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|
| Le Catacombe dei Cappuccini di Palermo nascono nel 1599 sotto il convento dei frati e conservano circa 8.000 corpi imbalsamati, ordinati per sesso, ceto e professione; l'ultima sepoltura e' del 1920 ed e' quella di Rosalia Lombardo, bambina di due anni in teca di cristallo diventata il simbolo del luogo. | [Comune di Palermo - Portale del Turismo](https://turismo.comune.palermo.it/palermo-welcome-luogo-dettaglio.php?tp=68&det=17&id=72); [Catacombe dei Cappuccini di Palermo](https://www.catacombepalermo.it/) | medium | 2099-12-31 |
| Le Catacombe dei Cappuccini di Palermo aprono tutti i giorni con orario spezzato 9:00-12:30 (ultimo ingresso 12:10) e 15:00-17:30 (ultimo ingresso 17:10) e il biglietto costa 5 euro (2026). | [Catacombe dei Cappuccini di Palermo](https://www.catacombepalermo.it/visita/orari); [Comune di Palermo - Portale del Turismo](https://turismo.comune.palermo.it/palermo-welcome-luogo-dettaglio.php?tp=68&det=17&id=72) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Il sito seriale UNESCO 'Palermo arabo-normanna e le cattedrali di Cefalu' e Monreale' e' iscritto dal 3 luglio 2015 (criteri ii e iv) e comprende nove monumenti: sette a Palermo - due palazzi (Palazzo Reale con la Cappella Palatina e la Zisa), tre chiese (San Giovanni degli Eremiti, Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio detta Martorana, San Cataldo), la Cattedrale e il Ponte dell'Ammiraglio - piu' le cattedrali di Cefalu' e di Monreale. | [Commissione Nazionale Italiana per l'UNESCO](https://www.unesco.it/it/news/palermo-arabo-normanna-e-le-cattedrali-di-cefalu-e-monreale-nella-lista-del-patrimonio-mondiale-dellunesco/); [doc 2](https://www.unesco.it/it/unesco-vicino-a-te/siti-patrimonio-mondiale/palermo-arabo-normanna-e-le-cattedrali-di-cefalu-e-monreale/); [Wikipedia in italiano](https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palermo_arabo-normanna_e_le_cattedrali_di_Cefal%C3%B9_e_Monreale) | medium | 2099-12-31 |

## Image

https://media.myitalia.it/media/poi.catacombe-cappuccini.1600.jpg
Author: Unknown authorUnknown author. License: Public domain.
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catacombe_dei_Cappuccini,_Frati_Cappuccini_(front).jpg

## Other languages

- it: https://myitalia.it/it/attrazioni/catacombe-dei-cappuccini.md
- es: https://myitalia.it/es/atracciones/catacombe-dei-cappuccini.md
- fr: https://myitalia.it/fr/attractions/catacombe-dei-cappuccini.md
- de: https://myitalia.it/de/sehenswuerdigkeiten/catacombe-dei-cappuccini.md