Recoleta Cemetery, Historic cemetery in Recoleta, Argentina
Recoleta Cemetery is an above-ground burial site in Recoleta, Buenos Aires, Argentina, with thousands of marble mausoleums. The vaults line narrow pathways that intersect and curve like the streets of a miniature city.
The cemetery opened in 1822 by Governor Martín Rodríguez as the city's first public burial ground. French engineer Prosper Catelin designed the layout on the site of a former convent.
Many families maintain their ancestors' vaults with fresh flowers and polished marble, making the cemetery feel like an open-air gallery. Visitors can admire the ornate stained glass windows and wrought-iron doors that often bear family names and coats of arms.
The cemetery opens daily in the morning and closes in the late afternoon, with guided tours offered. The pathways are mostly wide enough for wheelchairs, though some areas have uneven cobblestones.
The entrance displays a neoclassical portico with Doric columns, bearing the Latin inscription Requiescant in Pace carved above the gate. Dozens of cats roam among the rows of tombs and are fed and cared for by volunteers.
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