Recoleta Cemetery - ‘A Must Do’

Set among prime real estate, Recoleta Cemetery or Cementerio de la Recotela allows the rich and famous to continue their prestigious lifestyle in their death. Mausoleums of marble, bronze and granite grace the narrow paths of this cemetery creating a curious and intriguing place for life after death.

Alongside some of the most famous families in Argentina, lie Generals, Presidents and the ultra-rich. You’ll see names you easily recognize such as Peron, Mitre and Alvear as many of the streets of Buenos Aires are named after these famous families.

The resting place of Eva Peron

Most visitors though, come to see Evita’s resting place. It’s a little tricky to find as she’s buried under her father’s family name of Duarte. It’s best to take a guided tour of the cemetery [jump link to further in the article] where you’ll discover the colorful history and the some of the more famous tombs.

The real estate in Recoleta Cemetery is almost as expensive as the real estate in the neighboring streets. So to be buried here, you need to carry the family name or have changed Argentine history. Although the mausoleums lie above ground, beneath them lie crypts and chambers that go down several stories to house these rich and famous families.

Above ground, the mausoleums are extravagant and sometimes quite ridiculously ostentatious. Statues of angels, saints and towering crucifixes watch over the tombs. Their silhouettes like shadows against the bright blue sky.

The extravagant mausoleums of Buenos Aires most elite resting place

Some of the chambers are clearly well kept. The bronze polished regularly so it shines in the almost constant Buenos Aires sunshine and fresh flowers are laid in the entrance of the stairwells down to the families. The relatives looking after their families as much in death, as they did in life.

Others chambers are left, crumbling and derelict and often tell a different story. The only guardians of these chambers are the feral cats that wander around the cemetery. For me, I wonder what happened to these families and their wealth as it’s clear these tombs haven’t had visitors in a long time as the lacework of unbroken cob webs seal the entrances.

You can easily spend a couple of hours wandering around the cemetery. The tombs are captivating and nothing like anything you’ll have seen before. It’s essential to bring a camera, as you’ll want to take some memories of Recoleta Cemetery home with you. If it all gets too much, just cross the street to the cafe 'La Biele' for a refreshing break.

Tours of the cemetery

The church, Basilica Nuestra Señora del Pilar

Recoleta Cemetery is to the left of the white colonial church, Basilica Nuestra Señora del Pilar. It’s right across the green at the end of Quintana.

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