Consolação Cemetery, Historic cemetery in Consolação district, São Paulo, Brazil
Consolação Cemetery is a public burial ground in the Consolação district of São Paulo, Brazil, founded in 1858 and covering 76,340 square meters. Its main gate was designed by architect Ramos de Azevedo, and the grounds hold about three hundred sculptures by artists such as Victor Brecheret. The Matarazzo family mausoleum, about three stories tall, is considered the largest in South America.
The city opened the site in 1858 as its first public burial ground after burials in churchyards were banned. In the following decades, wealthy families commissioned elaborate tombs that reflect São Paulo's prosperity during the coffee economy.
The cemetery's name comes from the district and the church of Consolação. Guided tours run through the Arte Tumular project, which visitors must book in advance; they explain the sculptures, the history of the grounds and the families buried there. The Matarazzo family mausoleum, about as tall as a three-story building, is the largest in South America.
The entrance sits on a busy street in the city center, and visitors can walk the main pathways without special equipment. Groups often arrive on weekends to join guided walks or stroll through the tree-lined avenues.
Some burial sites contain small windows or viewing holes that allow glimpses into the chambers. These openings were originally meant to inspect the interior of crypts without opening them.
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