Why Was The La Recoleta Cemetery Built?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Recoleta was founded in 1732 by the nuns of Our Lady of Pilar, whose order disbanded in 1822. At that point, it became the city’s first public cemetery. It may be a

place set aside to mourn and commemorate the dead

, but life is also abundant here.

Why was the Recoleta cemetery built?

The History of the Recoleta Cemetery

The cemetery was opened in 1822 by the local government,

as a ploy to remove political power from the Catholic Church in Argentina

. They seized land from the Recoletos, the order of monks who owned it at the time and who used one of the back gardens as a cemetery.

When was La Recoleta built?

La Recoleta was inaugurated on

November 17, 1822

under the name of Cemeterio del Norte (Northern Cemetery). The cemetery was built around an abandoned convent established by the Order of the Recoletos. The order was disbanded in 1822, and the garden of the convent became the first public cemetery in Buenos Aires.

Who is buried in Recoleta?

Birth Death Personality 1821 1906 Bartolomé Mitre 1840 1902 Cándido López 1827 1918 Carlos Guido y Spano 1789 1852

Carlos María de Alvear

Who was the most famous person buried in the Recoleta cemetery?

Though the cemetery most famously holds the remains of

actress-turned-First Lady Eva Perón (also known as Evita)

, many of Recoleta cemetery’s less internationally known residents are buried in masterpiece mausoleums, many with dramatic and intriguing stories behind them.

What does Recoleta mean?

The name Recoleta, meaning

a quiet place

, fits this upscale barrio perfectly. Recoleta is known for its multitude of parks and its famous cemetery, the final resting place of the legendary Eva Perón.

What does the name Argentina mean?

The name is

derived from the Latin argentum (silver)

. The first use of the name Argentina can be traced to the voyages of the Spanish conquerors to the Río de la Plata. The explorers who shipwrecked in Juan Díaz de Solís’ expedition found native communities in the region who gave them silver presents.

Why Buenos Aires is called the Paris of South America?

With its wide,

tree-lined avenues, art nouveau architecture, cobblestone streets and sidewalk cafes

, it is no wonder that Buenos Aires is often regarded as the Paris of South America. … Buenos Aires is not only Argentina’s capital, but it is also the axis around which everything in the country revolves.

How old is Recoleta Cemetery?

Once the garden of the adjoining church, the cemetery was

created in 1822

and is among the oldest in the city. You can spend hours here wandering the grounds that cover 4 city blocks, full of tombs adorned with works by local and international sculptors.

Who is buried in Buenos Aires?

Over 90 of its tombs are listed as national historical monuments. The most visited tombs are those of

Eva Perón

and former Argentine presidents Sarmiento and Raúl Alfonsín.

What famous people are buried in Recoleta Cemetery?

Famous People Buried in La Recoleta Cemetery

You’ll find the tombs of former

Argentine Presidents Domingo Faustino Sarmiento and Bartolomé Mitre

, boxer Luis Angel Firpo, and Carlos Saavedra Lamas – the first Latin American Nobel Peace Prize recipient in the Cemetery.

Where is Juan Peron buried?

Perón died in July 1974. His casket remained in the Quinta de Olivos presidential residence until the March 1976 coup. The coffin was then placed in the Perón family tomb in

Chacarita Cemetery

, located in the Chacarita ward of the city of Buenos Aires.

Who is Evita funeral?

She was

given a state funeral upon her death

, a prerogative generally reserved for heads of state. Eva Perón has become a part of international popular culture, most famously as the subject of the musical Evita (1976).

What is a mausoleum?

Mausoleums are

an alternative type of memorial

, built as free-standing monuments to house the remains of the deceased. This type of memorial dates back to 350BC, where deceased Egyptian kings were laid to rest in the pyramids. Burying the deceased in a mausoleum is known as “entombment”.

What is the capital city of Buenos Aires province?

Technical Information of original image Acq. Date: 14 May 2017 and 26 July 2016

Which cemetery is Eva Peron?

Buenos Aires’ city of the dead contains some very famous remains, including Eva Perón.

Recoleta Cemetery

, in the upscale Recoleta Barrio of Buenos Aires, is the final resting place of many of Argentina’s wealthiest and most famous families and personages.

Maria Kunar
Author
Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.