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When you walk down Via Ripetta, you’ll see a window full of disturbing ancient doll heads and limbs at house no. 29. This ghastly display is the front of a little shop called “Restaurici Artistici Squatriti: Ospedale delle Bambole” (The Doll Hospital). The Squatriti family took up a curious trait of fixing antique dolls. Known to the locals as “the shop of horror,” the business of doll restoration all happens within this 15-square-meter shop. While most find this family business bizarre, it actually has clients and collectors from all over the world – all dolls and antiques enthusiasts. Dolls enter the shop “sick” and leave fixed. On the official website, it says that the Hospital of Dolls offers the possibility to book a “special visit” to their clinic that will make an unforgettable experience for your children. The pricing is unknown to us as we simply do not have the guts to check out their so-called “special visit.”
Address: 29 Via Ripetta, at Via del Vantaggio, Rome, 00186
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9:30am – 6pm, Sat 10am – 2pm, Closed Sundays
Direction: Subway Line A to Flaminio Station
Phone: +39 3395872274
Website: www.palombieditori.it/rassegne/bambole_xlycq.pdf
Photo credit: Ospedale delle Bambole
2 comments
Gaz says:
Oct 3, 2014
Are you sure this correct?
The pics and the website address are for a place in Naples, but you are talking about a different place – in rome.
Broke Tourist says:
Dec 9, 2014
Hi Gaz,
Good catch! I think I messed up on the website address. But the physical address is correct and is in Rome.
Thanks!
Elys