Memorial for the Disappeared, Memorial stele at General Cemetery in Santiago, Chile.
The Memorial del Detenido Desaparecido y del Ejecutado Político is a white marble stele in Santiago's General Cemetery, flanked by two large wing-shaped panels. The names of victims are engraved across these panels, and two sculptures stand at the base of the structure.
The memorial was built in 1994 to record the names of people who disappeared or were executed during Chile's military dictatorship between 1973 and 1990. It was created as a formal way to honor those victims and keep that period of history from being forgotten.
Verses from Raúl Zurita's poem 'Canto a su amor desaparecido' are carved into the wings of the memorial, weaving poetry into the act of remembrance. Visitors can read these lines as they walk along the structure, making the experience both literary and deeply personal.
The memorial sits in Section 102 of the General Cemetery and can be reached from Avenida Recoleta through either of two entrances. The cemetery keeps long opening hours, so visitors have plenty of flexibility when planning their visit.
Artist Francisco Gacitua created two sculptures for the memorial, each showing a face with closed eyes, one male and one female. The closed eyes were a deliberate choice to express grief without using any words at all.
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