The Fontanelle cemetery and Naples Rione Sanità

Rione Sanità (literally “Health Neighbourhood” in Italian) was a burial place in Roman and Hellenistic times and the Fontanelle cemetery was the chosen location for the burial of thousands of anonymous corpses, victims of the great plague of 1656.
In the Fontanelle ossuary takes place the unique cult and ritual of the “Pezzentelle” (“little wretches” in Italian), which involves the ritual burning of candles dedicated to the soul of the “nameless dead” whose bones are preserved in the ossuary. At the end of the 16th century Rione Sanità became home to many noble and aristocratic families as shown by the presence of many beautiful buildings such as Palazzo Sanfelice and Palazzo dello Spagnolo.