I can't say it is a normal outing for me to go and walk around a huge cemetery on a day off.
Cemeterio Recoleta is different. I would even go as far to say it is more like an outdoor museum full of the history of the lives of many Argentinian people (famous or not), beautiful stone architecture, true examples of the beliefs and practices of all kinds of people, and countless amounts of symbolism for life, death, love, and hope.
Cemeterio Recoleta is fenced in amongst a district of the city called Recoleta (Recoleta meaning north, it almost has a similar feel to the upper East side of New York City). The surrounding streets of Recoleta prove to be a very nice part of Buenos Aires, with high-end apartment buildings, tons of shops, cafes, restaurants, and a prominent mall. The cemetery itself covers five blocks in both length and width, and contains an extensive grid of pathways that interweave the thousands of mausoleums that stand there. (A mausoleum, according to webster dictionary -- I had to look it up -- is typically a large stone building with places for the deceased bodies of one or often several people. Think tombstone turned small house.)
The grounds of Cemeterio Recoleta were established in 1822 by the government at the time, and initially only people of the Catholic faith could be buried there. It wasn't until 1863 that people of all faiths were allowed to be buried there. To the left of the entrance is a Catholic chapel, but one will find statues, carvings, and engravings that involve symbolism from various faiths throughout the grounds.
The most intriguing find was the mausoleum of Eva Peron (Evita) and her family members (any local in Buenos Aires will tell a first-time tourist to see it). It is lined with plaques that portray her services to Argentina, and it is obvious how much Argentinians love and are fascinated by her life and work. We also saw the grave sites of several Argentinian presidents, famous writers, artists, and other political figures. We opted out of the one-hour tour (offered in both Spanish and English), and ventured around on our own with the map of the grounds. I don't think my photos will truly do the place justice, but hopefully you can get the sense of how grand and beautiful Cemeteria Recoleta is.
Cemeterio Recoleta is different. I would even go as far to say it is more like an outdoor museum full of the history of the lives of many Argentinian people (famous or not), beautiful stone architecture, true examples of the beliefs and practices of all kinds of people, and countless amounts of symbolism for life, death, love, and hope.
Cemeterio Recoleta is fenced in amongst a district of the city called Recoleta (Recoleta meaning north, it almost has a similar feel to the upper East side of New York City). The surrounding streets of Recoleta prove to be a very nice part of Buenos Aires, with high-end apartment buildings, tons of shops, cafes, restaurants, and a prominent mall. The cemetery itself covers five blocks in both length and width, and contains an extensive grid of pathways that interweave the thousands of mausoleums that stand there. (A mausoleum, according to webster dictionary -- I had to look it up -- is typically a large stone building with places for the deceased bodies of one or often several people. Think tombstone turned small house.)
The grounds of Cemeterio Recoleta were established in 1822 by the government at the time, and initially only people of the Catholic faith could be buried there. It wasn't until 1863 that people of all faiths were allowed to be buried there. To the left of the entrance is a Catholic chapel, but one will find statues, carvings, and engravings that involve symbolism from various faiths throughout the grounds.
The most intriguing find was the mausoleum of Eva Peron (Evita) and her family members (any local in Buenos Aires will tell a first-time tourist to see it). It is lined with plaques that portray her services to Argentina, and it is obvious how much Argentinians love and are fascinated by her life and work. We also saw the grave sites of several Argentinian presidents, famous writers, artists, and other political figures. We opted out of the one-hour tour (offered in both Spanish and English), and ventured around on our own with the map of the grounds. I don't think my photos will truly do the place justice, but hopefully you can get the sense of how grand and beautiful Cemeteria Recoleta is.
