The Ghost of Donna Olimpia – Secrets Rome

 This is the most famous ghost which haunts Rome.

Donna Olimpia (Lady Olimpia), was a woman who used to live in Rome during the XVI century.

Since she was very young, her family decided to make her a nun, but she refused and preferred to marry a rich man because she was a goodlooking woman (and also liked to live in wealth).

She married a noble man from Viterbo, Paolo Nini, but she became soon a widow and inherited all his big heritage, by  which she could marry another man belonging to one of the most important roman families of that time, Pamfilio Pamphili.

Unfortunately Pamfilio was not so rich (despite his noble family)  but he was friends of influent people of Rome, so Olimpia took advantage of this to live as she always desired and also to help Pamfilio’s brother to become a cardinal and then pope, with the name Innocenzo X.

This pope was not a very strong person so Donna Olimpia could easily subdue him, therefore she was known as “The Papessa”.

Rumors in Rome started to come out; Donna Olimpia (or “Pimpaccia” as many used to name her) is unscrupulous woman, ready to make everything to achieve her intents.

When she died in San Martino al Cimino in 1657, she was hated by most part of people in Rome. 

According to the popular tradition her soul has been cursed that’s why, even nowadays, Romans swear to see her ghost on a coach crossing Ponte Sisto during full moon nights.