La Recoleta Cemetery is located where the garden of the Basilica of Our Lady of Pillar used to sit. This cemetery is the first one in Buenos Aires, having been opened in 1822. Its organization was thought up by French engineer Próspero Catelin. The cemetery contains around 6400 statues and crypts belonging to the most notable citizens of Buenos Aires.
Various architectural styles are present within La Recoleta’s bounds, from art deco, baroque, neo-gothic to religious iconography. Almost 100 graves have been declared important national and historical monuments. The most visited grave belongs to the wife of former president of Argentina, Eva Perón, who was adored by the people, especially among the working class. Although Eva died in 1952, her body wasn’t put in the Duarte family mausoleum (her maiden name was Duarte). Evita’s resting place is a fortified crypt located five meters below ground to ensure that her remains are never disturbed.
David Alleno worked as an undertaker at the graveyard for 30 years, carefully saving money for his own burial place and monument. He said that, as soon as he could afford a place in the graveyard, he contacted an architect whom he wanted to build his gravestone. When the architect had finished the gravestone, Alleno went home and committed suicide. Legend has it that you can still hear his keys rattling throughout the graveyard as his ghost walks the narrow pathways of La Recoleta at sunrise.
Visitors should visit the mausoleum of Liliana Crociati, who died on her honeymoon in Austria in the 20th century. Her parent reconstructed her bedroom within the mausoleum. A bronze statue of Liliana in her wedding dress is located at the entrance to the mausoleum.
Also famous is the grave of Rufina Cambaceres, who was buried alive by mistake. Stories tell of the workers who heard her screams after the funeral, and when the grave was opened, scratch marks could be seen all around the casket. The grave is lavishly decorated with a special kind of marble, which signifies the eternal grief of her parents.
Although we are aware that you might not plan on visiting a graveyard when visiting Buenos Aires, bear in mind that this is not an ordinary graveyard, but an important monument of the city, where you will be able to see monuments and sculptures that are true works of art, some of which are works by various famous sculptors.
The entrance to La Recoleta is FREE OF CHARGE.
You can hire a guide nearby, which we highly recommend, especially if you are visiting La Recoleta for the first time. The lives of the people who are buried here are truly incredible, and guides will try their best to tell you about the most interesting among them.
