Cementerio de San José

Cementerio de San José is a municipal burial ground in Granada with an area of around 110,000 square meters divided into 19 separate courtyards. The grounds contain thousands of graves, mausoleums, and various architectural elements located near the Alhambra complex.

The cemetery was established in 1805 during a yellow fever outbreak following a royal decree by King Carlos III. It became the second oldest municipal burial ground in Spain and has served the community ever since.

The cemetery displays funeral sculptures and family mausoleums from the 19th and 20th centuries that represent different artistic styles of their time. These structures show how Granada's families commemorated their dead and what mattered to them across generations.

The cemetery is organized into 19 courtyards that allow visitors to explore different sections and discover various tomb styles and layouts. Comfortable shoes are recommended since the grounds are extensive and involve considerable walking.

A special Islamic courtyard was built in 1937 to provide perpetual graves through an agreement with the Muslim community of the city. This section reflects Granada's long history of coexistence between different faiths and populations.