Old English Cemetery, Livorno

The Old English Cemetery is one of the oldest non-Roman-Catholic cemeteries in Italy. The cemetery survived great damage caused by bombing during WWII, which also damaged the adjoining Waldensian and St. George Churches. It remains one of the most charming and interesting places in Livorno. After WWII the cemetery was found hidden behind a large six-story apartment-block, which illustrates the distinct lack of sensitivity of the local administration at the time. The entrance is located in a small square, accessible through the property of the Arciconfraternita della Misericordia. The cemetery is a large quadrangle, characterized by dense arboreal vegetation, with century-old cypress trees and various Mediterranean plants. A notable feature is the presence of some Virginia secular elms which are said to have been planted by American sailors visiting the graves of their loved ones.