It’s summer in Texas, so let’s head south – way south. Far enough south that summer becomes winter. We’ll trade the Texas heat for Argentina’s capital city, Buenos Aires, sometimes called “the Paris of the Southern Hemisphere.” This is not by mistake. At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, the government of Argentina recruited many French architects and engineers to help transform the city.  It’s a lovely place – large, diverse, energetic, and cosmopolitan. Many areas do, indeed, recall Paris. Let’s take a stroll through one of them – La Recoleta Cemetery.

Not Parisian

The comparison to Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris is understandable, particularly if you’re looking for similarities. Both are relatively large, boasting tombs of many famous people. Both are architecturally interesting for the designs of their mausoleums. And both are navigated by means of cobblestone avenues rather than simple pathways. But beyond these parallels, they are quite different from one another.

At over 100 acres, Lachaise is almost eight times the size of La Recoleta and far more open. The passages are wider, there is space between the crypts. And it’s, well, French. It looks French and feels French.

La Recoleta does not. It obviously is not Parisian; it’s Argentinian. And comparison isn’t necessary; it’s terrific all on its own.

Recoleta Neighborhood

La Recoleta takes its name from the Recoleta neighborhood in which it lies – the area we stayed while in Buenos Aires. Debra booked us at the wonderful Poetry Building, a kind of apartment hotel within walking distance of La Recoleta Cemetery. (If you are planning a trip to Buenos Aires, we highly recommend the Poetry Building and the Recoleta neighborhood, in general. It doesn’t have the bustle or nightlife of some other areas but we enjoyed the calmer atmosphere, the tree-lined streets, and the slower pace.)

Cabs are cheap and plentiful in Buenos Aires but our preferred mode of transportation is walking. Buenos Aires, in general, and Recoleta with its wide, shady avenues, in particular  is very walk-able. So let’s walk.

First, we’ll stop for breakfast – toast and grilled ham and cheese sandwiches – at a little shop mentioned in the pocket guide from the Poetry Building, then meander on down to the cemetery.

La Recoleta Cemetery

The living are not too much in evidence this morning. The weather is slightly overcast with temperatures in the 50s. Perfect for wandering through a graveyard.

The cemetery, itself, is a fantastic collection of old and new mausoleums – some literally falling apart, some meticulously maintained, and all jam-packed into 14 or 15 acres behind a seven-foot brick wall. Once inside, the rest of Buenos Aires fades away and La Recoleta becomes its own eerie city.  The monuments, competing for space and crowding to the edge of the “streets” loom over you as you pass.

Many of the monuments are entry-ways for underground crypts with stairs leading down into the earth.

Many are showcases for coffins, some draped with linen cloths or rosaries or candles or flowers.

What is it about graveyards? Pardon the melodrama but, whether or not you have a personal connection with them, cemeteries are heavy with feeling. Even the forgotten and neglected monuments tell tales of laughter and tears, grief and relief, love and strife. The triumphs and the disappointments of years upon years are distilled, concentrated, palpable.

Yes, the neglected crypts are sometimes a little creepy. But many are oddly beautiful.

Evita

Many famous people are buried here at La Recoleta Cemetery. I confess that I’m not a student of Argentinian history and I’m not familiar with most of the “notable” names in the directory. I’m sure you’ll recognize at least one, however, thanks to the musical “Evita.”

Eva Perón’s grave is in the Duarte family crypt. It’s pretty inconspicuous. That is, except for the plaques. And the flowers, ribbons, and rosaries. Evita died in 1952 but her memory is vivid throughout Buenos Aires.

A Bit of Luck for the Journey

On our way out, let’s stop by the sculpture below, just outside a mausoleum toward the rear of the cemetery.

Touch the dog’s nose for luck! Scores of hands over the years have made it smooth and shiny – people happy to be just visiting La Recoleta Cemetery.

Thanks for coming on this stroll with the Barretts – we couldn’t ask for better company! Until next time –

Dan