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The Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno (Monumental Cemetery of Staglieno) in Genoa, Italy, which opened in 1851, is known worldwide for its fantastic sculpture. One of the largest cemeteries in Europe, its origin is associated with Napoleon's 1804 Edict of St. Cloud, which became law in Italy in 1806. The edict ruled that every burial was to be conducted outside of city walls, and burial monuments had to be the same size and were granted by committee. A portion of the hillside of Staglieno was originally chosen for the location of the cemetery due to its sparse population and acceptability within the rules of the edict.
As the cemetery grew, English, Jewish and Protestant sections were added. Among the notable names buried there is the wife of Oscar Wilde, Constance Lloyd. Frequent visitors included Mark Twain and Friedrich Nietzsche.
See more photos of the extraordinary sculptures in the The Cimitero Monumentale di Staglieno here.
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