Recoleta Cemetery

Some may call it morbid while others call it intriguing. The other day I spent the afternoon strolling in the Recoleta Fair and then jousted over to the famous Recoleta cemetery (where Evita Peron and other wealthy families are buried).

Before going it was always so appalling to me when everyone I know said “what? You’re going to Buenos Aires...you have to go to the cemetery.” Or my friends here would say “it’s a must see.” Seriously? A cemetery? I definitely don’t think so; let’s not get ahead of ourselves---it’s a cemetery after all. Thank god I’ve only had to go to one funeral in my life so I’ve never really been exposed to cemeteries. So after 2+ months being here, I finally made my way down to the cemetery to see what the hype is all about, and O.M.G. it’s by far a must see! The Recoleta Cemetery is not like anything you’ve ever seen before...it’s freaky and insanely awesome.

The moment I walked through the gates of the cemetery I thought to myself “this is not a cemetery, this is more of a mini city compiled of cool-looking houses that happens to store dead people”...I felt like I was living in the “times” of Romeo and Juliet...(if only). Each mausoleum is constructed by elaborate marble architectural styles that is decorated with names of the families, statues, flowers, and symbols. It is the easiest place to get lost (not that I’m talking from experience haha but it’s really simple to lose your way). It took me almost an hour to finally locate Evita Peron’s mausoleum because every time I asked people where it was, everyone pointed in a different direction. So I kept walking in loops around Evita’s site and didn’t even realize because there are so many corners and turns that it’s so accessible to get lost---note= set aside a few hours of getting lost while you’re at the cemetery....that’s what I should’ve done haha!

What is really cool about the cemetery is the architectural aspect of it...Daniel, you would’ve loved it! Each mausoleum and statue was incredibly different from the next. There were huge, extravagant mausoleums yet modest ones too. To this day Evita Peron remains one of the most famous women in Argentina and probably around the world (after Golda Meir of course)...but I bring this up because ironically her mausoleum was really modest comparing it to all the others. There weren’t any statues involved in it nor it was not in the center. I think it took me an hour to find it because it was situated in one of the “mini” streets off to the side and not in the heart of the cemetery where all the “important” generals or wealthy people are. Her black mausoleum was one of the only sites that was covered in flowers...I guess everyone loves her!!

After finally making it to the cemetery I can honestly say that it’s a tourist site worth seeing. You don’t even have to speak Spanish to go...the amount of English and French I heard was utterly too much for a Spanish speaking country. But back to the cemetery--- if you’re here visiting Bs Ar, it’s by far a cool site and you should check it out! And if you’re someone like my sister who likes to live bicariously through others...you’ll definitely feel the Romeo and Juliet aroma there; very Shakespearean.

And it’s really not morbid.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!