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Recoleta Cemetery Fun Facts and Need to Know

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By | September 16, 2019

Recoleta Cemetery entrance

Recoleta cemetery is one of Buenos Aires’ most famous sites and ranked high on almost every travelers’ things to do list. See one of the world’s most famous resting places and why it is so visited.

Recoleta cemetery is considered one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world and a must see site in Buenos Aires. This famous cemetery is the final resting site of some of Argentina’s most elite citizens, founding fathers, heroes and of course well off families showing off their wealth with increasingly more elaborate tombs. Numbering close to 5,000 vaults, the mausoleums occupy roughly 14 acres divided by alleyways, tree lined streets and brick laid paths.

Many of the cemetery’s older, elaborate tombs were constructed with imported French or Italian materials. The architecture (yes, some of these mausoleums are that big) varies throughout this city of the dead from Art Deco to Baroque and are a photographers dream. For a more in depth experience check out the cemetery’s free tours in English on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:00 am. No tickets are needed for entry.

Fun Fact #1: The impressive marble and finely crafted vaults are quite a sight, but many are falling into disrepair. It is said that some of the descendants of these long lost relatives no longer want to pay for the upkeep and maintenance creating quite the conundrum. An observant visitor may notice some of these graves no longer housing coffins, but storing supplies, ladders, and the sort…Not a surprise when considering that this cemetery may be sitting on some of the most expensive real estate of its kind in the world.

Highlights:

  • Many of the streets, neighborhoods and towns are named after the founding fathers and notable citizens of Argentina (Mitre, Alvear, Sarmiento). You’ll find many of their graves in Recoleta’s cemetery, but we know what most of you are looking for; Eva Perón. Facing inward from the entrance head diagonally left you’ll find her resting under her maiden name “Eva Duarte”.
  • On Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays the Recoleta open air market operates. Hundreds of local artisans set up booths and stalls lining the walkways of Plaza Francia, the large area surrounding Recoleta cemetery. Think pottery, silver crafted jewelry, leather belts and empanadas.
  • Recoleta Design is the furniture and interior design mall underneath some of Plaza Francia. If the elements are acting up you can grab a coffee-to-go and head down there for a break.
  • Centro Cultural de Recoleta is a large, mostly free cultural center housing multiple rotating exhibits and activities for families. Might be worth a quick peek if you’re in the mood.

Fun Fact #2: Keep your eyes peeled for a statue of a man and a bust of a woman facing opposite directions. History has it that the wealthy man became upset with his wife as she was spending frivolously and accumulating debt all around the city. The man publicly announced that he would no longer pay the debts causing her public embarrassment and a fight which lasted until their deaths and beyond. The man died first and the woman insisted that rather than her statue be erected side by side with his, that they should face opposite directions.

Recoleta cemetery map showing Evita's grave site

Fun Fact #3: Evita’s final resting place is indeed in Recoleta cemetery, but that was not always the case! Her corpse had a bizarre 20 year journey reaching as far as Italy before returning to Buenos Aires!

Updated: July 2018

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