ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires' Recoleta Cemetery

I am not usually into cemeteries, but I find as I get older, they are more interesting. (Gulp!)

The Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires is fascinating. 

It covers 15 acres and contains close to 5,000 vaults. 

There are graves of military generals, Nobel Prize Laureates, writers, presidents, wealthy families and the most famous occupant, Eva Peron, Argentina's controversial former first lady. 

The church and cemetery were founded in 1732 by Franciscan monks. 

Originally, the poor people were buried in the orchard outside the church.

And the wealthy people were buried inside the church.

But as the population grew dramatically through massive immigration, it was deemed in 1822 that everyone was to be buried outside the church. So the rich felt a need to distinguish themselves from the poor, even in the cemetery. 

Once again they looked to Europe, specifically Paris, to see how Europe's elite handled this. 

They decided to emulate the elaborate Parisian tombstones, allowing the UBER wealthy another means to show off their wealth and power. We were told that once their tombstones and mausoleums were completed they would bring their friends and family to their future gravesites to show off.

The tombstones were made in Europe and shipped to Argentina. 

With time, the French and Italian tombstone makers recognized the great demand for their products overseas. 

So they decided to create catalogues showcasing the different options available. 

Now the elite in BA were able to go through the catalogue to choose and customize their tombstone. 

You can see the similarities to these two families' tombstones. 

Some tombstones were so large they had glass doors or windows to show off the contents. Fancy coffins were another way to express their wealth.

One wealthy family insisted that they were to be buried inside the church. But they were told their would be no exceptions and they would be buried inn the cemetery. 

So they built their own church in the cemetery.

There are many allegories and symbols throughout the cemetery. For instance, this one is "time flies". We found it in a number of different places.

This is a very elaborate tombstone with 2 angels at the bottom looking skyward at the deceased in the coffin. 

Look closely to the top. We see the deceased is being helped out of her coffin by an angel looking into her eyes to release her soul.

There is a great story to this one. This is a former Vice President of Argentina. His wife loved to spend money and throw parties. 

When he became Vice President she figured it would be a great opportunity to spend even more money. But he did not want to have anything to do with that. So he put an announcement in the newspaper that he was no longer responsible for her debts. 

Needless to say, she was furious and humiliated. She said that she wouldn’t speak to him again. So for 21 years they never spoke to each other. 

He died first. She purchased a lavish tombstone, full body, with him sitting on a chair. She purposely made her tombstone simple so she’d look like a simple woman. Then she had them placed back to back so that for eternity they didn't need to look at each other.

Legend has it that in 1902 Rufina Cambaceras fell into a coma at 19 (apparently it was when she discovered her mother was having an affair with her lover.) She couldn't be revived, so it was assumed she was dead. They buried her. Later cemetery workers heard noises, so they exhumed her. She had torn nails and her face and body were covered in scratches from her trying to escape. The family never confirmed the story, so, it could be true, or, it could be a cemetery ghost story. 

Our guide called this an "apartment building" in the cemetery. 

And the tombstone that everyone wants to see is the one of Eva Peron. There is a long story to her life, and even a long story to her missing embalmed body. After great controversy and international travels her body was finally laid to rest in her family's tomb, under her family's last name, Duante. There is always a line-up to look at her grave and there are always flowers. 

One could spend hours learning Argentina's history and the life of the wealthy and famous in the Recoleta Cemetery. 

For now, happily we are on this side of the plots.