Chris Caravella's Virtual Tour of Ustica

The Cemetery

So why go to the cemetery? For genealogic interests, of course, and also out of respect for my family. We've been gone for 112 years, so I had some catching up to do. I have read that in Italy gravesites are reused and here you won't find many pre-1900 graves. Just about all of the graves I saw had a photograph included.

A large chapel lies in the center with grand crypts to the front and more modest crypts and wall vaults in the rear. All graves are above ground because there is scant soil for burial. Anyone from New Orleans will find the cemetery rather familair looking. All new construction is in the rear.

For genealogy, a more thorough source is the church registers which date back to 1763. They are in excellent condition and all contain indexes (though ordered by first name). This record is of the death of Gaetano Ailara, on 24 October 1852. In the typical Italian tradition for first sons, he was given the name of his paternal grandfather, Gaetano Ailara, the first mayor of Ustica.

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