The Cemetery of Recoleta - the first public cemetery in Buenos Aires - was built in 1822 by French engineer Prospero Catelin. It is located in the Recoleta neighborhood and owes its name to the convent of “Recoleta” monks. The Nuestra Senora del Pillar church belonged to this congregation and was in the old orchard of the Basilica that the cemetery was built.
Majestic pantheons and mausoleums belonging to many of the most important characters in Argentine history are throughout the five hectares.
Built in marble and decorated with sculptures, the work of outstanding architects and artists is on display. More than 90 pantheons have been declared a National Historical Monument.
We had two reasons to visit this cemetery while in Buenos Aires: visit the tomb of Evita Peron and geocache.
Here are some of the photos I took while wandering through the cemetery.
the cemetery side of the entrance
the street side was a nondescript brick wall
very narrow mausoleum
some had stained glass windows
a variety of shapes
this was a husband (important person)
and his wife who loved to spend his money
narrow alleys lined with mausoleums
a rare open tomb with a stained glass dome
some were in need of repairing
others like this one, looked brand new
we could see the burial vault behind this window
decorated door
at this one, you could look down and see the marble shelves to hold all the vaults of the family members, which were empty
Evita Peron’s mausoleum
looking for the tomb for the Adventure Lab
comparing answers for the bonus geocache
Mission Accomplished!
While many sources cite 4,691 main vaults/mausoleums, some estimates go higher, noting up to 6,400 tombs, statues, and crypts.
The cemetery acts as a "city of the dead" with streets, housing the remains of notable figures like Eva Perón.
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