Recoleta Cemetery: A Treasure of Buenos Aires

A “SPECIAL” SCULPTURE MUSEUM

Located in the luxurious Recoleta neighborhood, in an area surrounded by spacious parks, Recoleta Cemetery is a distinguished cemetery and a highly valuable architectonic piece.

Its history is linked to the Recoletos Franciscan Order, after whom the neighborhood where they built their Monastery and the Our Lady of Pilar Church in the 18th century was named. In fact, Recoleta Cemetery was born together with the Church. During Rivadavia administration, it was expropriated and turned into the Cementerio del Norte (North Cemetery) –becoming the first public cemetery in Buenos Aires. After the yellow fever epidemics during the decade of the 1870’s, high class families of Buenos Aires moved from San Telmo and Monserrat neighborhoods to the northern area of the city, precisely, Recoleta. Thus, the prestigious Recoleta Cemetery became the last resting place of the most powerful families of Buenos Aires. Then, during Torcuato de Alvear administration, the cemetery was remodeled and the current entrance gate was built.

Nowadays, Recoleta Cemetery is a true outdoors art gallery, a unique exhibition of different architectonic styles and sculptures. In 1946, Recoleta Cemetery was declared National Historic Museum, since, among its little streets, we can find the graves of national heroes, Argentine presidents, brave soldiers, great scientists, and renowned artists and celebrities.

Allow yourself to discover the secrets hidden in Recoleta Cemetery, its history, its main characters, its art and its legends, and take the guided tour in your own language. Throughout the tour, the guide will tell stories related to the cemetery and the deceased buried there, apart from taking visitors to the tombs of several aristocrats from Buenos Aires, among which the following stand out: ex presidents (Avellaneda, Sarmiento, Pellegrini, Mitre), renowned politicians (Eva Perón, J.M. Rosas), Nobel Prize winners (Leloir), famous writers (Bioy Casares, José Hernández, Lugones).