La Recoleta Cemetery - Pictorial Essay

Recently during a business trip to Buenos Aires, I had the opportunity to visit La Recoleta Cemetery.  This is an above-ground cemetery located in about two square blocks of an exclusive neighborhood, surrounded by apartment buildings and hip restaurants.  The cemetery dates from the early 1800's and is the final resting place of numerous presidents, generals and artists.   I love to visit cemeteries and have visited other above-ground ones, most notably in New Orleans and Key West, but Recoleta is spectacular and well-worth spending several hours wandering around in on a lovely, sunshiny day.

My visit began with a walk alongside the high brick wall that surrounds the cemetery.  I noticed that over the years, plants had begun growing out of chinks within the walls, making for an interesting texture.  I found my way to the entrance, which was pillared like a Greek temple.  Just inside the entrance was a chapel featuring a large and somewhat gruesome crucifixion scene.  I walked on by and into the cemetery.

Once inside the cemetery I noticed that it was laid out in streets lined by mausoleums of all shapes and sizes, pushed up right against each other.  I turned to my right and headed down one of the streets. 

I couldn't stop taking pictures!  Every mausoleum was different, beautiful or interesting.  These were family mausoleums for the most part and held many family members.  Each family built to their own taste and level of wealth.  Some of the tombs had fantastic statues.

This statue of a grieving woman caught my attention.  Someone was very beloved.

This statue of what looked like a female warrior was reaching her hand out to an angel kneeling at her feet.  Notice the apartment windows just behind the statue.  What a view this would make!

In the midst of all this marble and brick, there was an impressive amount of trees and flowers.  These tropical red flowers made for an interesting contrast with the marble crosses behind them.

Some of the tombs were built so that you could see into them, generally behind decorative iron gates.  Looking into them, I could see that some had the most amazing altars, crucifixes, kneelers, seats and stained glass - sometimes only visible from inside.   I took this picture from between the iron bars of the gate.

Most of the mausoleums were in great shape and I saw families visiting and leaving flowers, but some were old and in disrepair.  It appeared that no one had visited this one for some time.

While some of the mausoleums had space to spread out, others were built right up next to each other.  Apparently one family was able to squeeze into this tiny space between two other tombs.

Probably the most visited grave in Recoleta Cemetery is that of Eva Peron, wife of president Juan Peron and the person on whom the musical and movie "Evita" was based.  She is buried in the Duarte family mausoleum.  Oddly, her husband is buried elsewhere.  As you can see, people still visit and leave flowers and other momentos at her grave.  Notice how close the tombs are together in this area.   The gentleman that you can see in this picture has his back against the mausoleum on the opposite side of the street.

Not all of the mausoleums and statuary are done in the neo-classic style.  This one has a decidedly different flair.

This statue of a woman and her dog almost has an art deco look to it. 

And finally, because I love 'em, this picture of a skull and crossbones decorated the mantle above the door of another family's tomb.