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Records 17 - Cemeteries of Buenos Aires
What images come to your mind when you think of a cemetery? A spooky, abandoned place? Maybe a lone, bare tree and a sky that's always gray?
Well, what if I told you that some cemeteries are nothing like that? What if I told you that some are so full of history and beauty that people visit them just like they would a famous museum? Today we’ll explore two of the most distinguished funerary grounds in Buenos Aires’ city: La Recoleta and La Chacarita.
Welcome to Further Records, I’m Forest. For more practice materials and fun stuff,
check out our instagram, TikTok, and YouTube channels!
La Recoleta cemetery
Towards the end of the 19th century, many wealthy families from Buenos Aires left their homes in the southern neighborhoods of the city. They moved north to the Recoleta neighbourhood, which quickly became the city's most exclusive area. As a result, the cemetery became the final resting place for some of Argentina’s most elite personalities— heroes, founding fathers and, of course, rich families that show off their wealth with fancy, ostentatious tombs.
Built in 1822 as the city's first public graveyard, it has become one of the city’s top attractions: a blend of history, art and architecture where you can explore hidden stories and admire the artistry within.
It’s considered one of the most unusual burial grounds, can you guess why? Unlike a typical cemetery, most of the graves are built above ground. These structures are called mausoleums, which are essentially astonishing buildings for burying the dead.
There, you'll find the tombs of notable people, including Eva Perón, presidents of Argentina, Nobel Prize winners, the founder of the Argentine Navy, and military commanders such as Julio Argentino Roca.
If you’re lucky, you might spot some other very famous residents… the cats!
Yes, you heard that right. For years, La Recoleta has been home to a large group of stray cats, which have become an attraction in their own right. You’ll see them wandering through the extravagant tombs and sunbathing on top of them, oblivious to the history around them.
The cemetery's beauty and historical significance have earned it international recognition. Both the BBC and CNN have praised it as one of the best and most beautiful cemeteries in the world.
So, the next time you think of a funerary ground, think of La Recoleta: a stunning blend of art, architecture, and hidden stories, all waiting to be explored. It’s not just a cemetery, it’s an entire city of the dead.
La Chacarita cemetery
West of the city centre, we’ll come across another large burial ground that doesn’t get half as much recognition as La Recoleta. I’m talking about La Chacarita cemetery, which owes its existence to the yellow fever outbreak in the 1870s. During that time, it was necessary to build new graveyards since the existing ones were strained beyond capacity and La Recoleta prohibited the burial of those who had died from the epidemic.
Located in the heart of the neighborhood it is named after, the Chacarita burying site is the largest in the country and it was the first place to be formally determined as a public cemetery in the city.
Each year, La Chacarita welcomes hundreds of visitors and tourists who lose themselves in its tranquility and artistic memorials, walking through the graves of celebrities and prominent figures. Amongst architectural works of art, sculptures, history and illustrious figures, La Chacarita allows us to witness the lively Buenos Aires (no pun intended).
Here, we’ll find a number of scientists and former presidents. But some of the most famous burials here include members of the Argentine artistic community such as writers, prominent composers and actors. One of these notorious personalities is Carlos Gardel, who you’ll remember from our Tango episode as one of the greatest artists of the genre!
Believe it or not, a portion of this funerary ground was created to house a different kind of history: the British one.
In the 19th century, a large number of British people moved to Argentina for work. This led to the founding of the British Cemetery, which had to be moved a couple of times. In 1892, Section 16 of La Chacarita was given in exchange for the Victoria Cemetery, which then became Plaza 1° de Mayo (not to be confused with Plaza de Mayo. Two different parks).
Over time, the British and German communities grew, and in 1913, the area was divided into what we now know as the separate British and German cemeteries.
Though they share a history, those areas are now independent and managed separately from the main Chacarita Cemetery.
Today we went from the opulent mausoleums of Argentina's elite to the final resting places of its most celebrated artists. As we have seen in this episode, these cemeteries reveal the history, culture, and unique identity of Buenos Aires, proving that even in death, a city's story can continue to be told.
Thank you for listening to Further Records. Remember our other resources! We have tips on YouTube, funny videos on TikTok, and extra learning material on Instagram! In this podcast, we used
- Spooky: This is an informal adjective meaning "frightening or eerie." It's often used to describe things related to ghosts or Halloween.
- Bare: An adjective meaning "not covered or decorated; exposed." For example, a "bare tree" has no leaves.
- Show off: A phrasal verb meaning "to display something in a proud way to get attention." It often has a slightly negative connotation, like being arrogant. Another similar word in today’s episode is Opulent.
- Strained beyond capacity: It means that something was used so much that it could no longer handle the pressure or demand.
- No pun intended: An idiomatic phrase used after making a joke or a play on words to show that the humor was intentional. In this case, "lively Buenos Aires."
- Illustrious: An adjective meaning "well-known, respected, and admired for past achievements." It's a good synonym for famous or prominent.
- Opulent: An adjective meaning "rich and luxurious," often used to describe things that are very expensive and fancy.
Keep boosting your English journey with us! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Comments? Questions? Concerns? Send us an email! We’d love to hear from you. See you next time!
MUSIC & SFX:
Waltz - Tchaikovsky Op. 40 Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Savour the Moment" by Shane Ivers – https://www.silvermansound.com
View all episodes
By Further CorporateWhat images come to your mind when you think of a cemetery? A spooky, abandoned place? Maybe a lone, bare tree and a sky that's always gray?
Well, what if I told you that some cemeteries are nothing like that? What if I told you that some are so full of history and beauty that people visit them just like they would a famous museum? Today we’ll explore two of the most distinguished funerary grounds in Buenos Aires’ city: La Recoleta and La Chacarita.
Welcome to Further Records, I’m Forest. For more practice materials and fun stuff,
check out our instagram, TikTok, and YouTube channels!
La Recoleta cemetery
Towards the end of the 19th century, many wealthy families from Buenos Aires left their homes in the southern neighborhoods of the city. They moved north to the Recoleta neighbourhood, which quickly became the city's most exclusive area. As a result, the cemetery became the final resting place for some of Argentina’s most elite personalities— heroes, founding fathers and, of course, rich families that show off their wealth with fancy, ostentatious tombs.
Built in 1822 as the city's first public graveyard, it has become one of the city’s top attractions: a blend of history, art and architecture where you can explore hidden stories and admire the artistry within.
It’s considered one of the most unusual burial grounds, can you guess why? Unlike a typical cemetery, most of the graves are built above ground. These structures are called mausoleums, which are essentially astonishing buildings for burying the dead.
There, you'll find the tombs of notable people, including Eva Perón, presidents of Argentina, Nobel Prize winners, the founder of the Argentine Navy, and military commanders such as Julio Argentino Roca.
If you’re lucky, you might spot some other very famous residents… the cats!
Yes, you heard that right. For years, La Recoleta has been home to a large group of stray cats, which have become an attraction in their own right. You’ll see them wandering through the extravagant tombs and sunbathing on top of them, oblivious to the history around them.
The cemetery's beauty and historical significance have earned it international recognition. Both the BBC and CNN have praised it as one of the best and most beautiful cemeteries in the world.
So, the next time you think of a funerary ground, think of La Recoleta: a stunning blend of art, architecture, and hidden stories, all waiting to be explored. It’s not just a cemetery, it’s an entire city of the dead.
La Chacarita cemetery
West of the city centre, we’ll come across another large burial ground that doesn’t get half as much recognition as La Recoleta. I’m talking about La Chacarita cemetery, which owes its existence to the yellow fever outbreak in the 1870s. During that time, it was necessary to build new graveyards since the existing ones were strained beyond capacity and La Recoleta prohibited the burial of those who had died from the epidemic.
Located in the heart of the neighborhood it is named after, the Chacarita burying site is the largest in the country and it was the first place to be formally determined as a public cemetery in the city.
Each year, La Chacarita welcomes hundreds of visitors and tourists who lose themselves in its tranquility and artistic memorials, walking through the graves of celebrities and prominent figures. Amongst architectural works of art, sculptures, history and illustrious figures, La Chacarita allows us to witness the lively Buenos Aires (no pun intended).
Here, we’ll find a number of scientists and former presidents. But some of the most famous burials here include members of the Argentine artistic community such as writers, prominent composers and actors. One of these notorious personalities is Carlos Gardel, who you’ll remember from our Tango episode as one of the greatest artists of the genre!
Believe it or not, a portion of this funerary ground was created to house a different kind of history: the British one.
In the 19th century, a large number of British people moved to Argentina for work. This led to the founding of the British Cemetery, which had to be moved a couple of times. In 1892, Section 16 of La Chacarita was given in exchange for the Victoria Cemetery, which then became Plaza 1° de Mayo (not to be confused with Plaza de Mayo. Two different parks).
Over time, the British and German communities grew, and in 1913, the area was divided into what we now know as the separate British and German cemeteries.
Though they share a history, those areas are now independent and managed separately from the main Chacarita Cemetery.
Today we went from the opulent mausoleums of Argentina's elite to the final resting places of its most celebrated artists. As we have seen in this episode, these cemeteries reveal the history, culture, and unique identity of Buenos Aires, proving that even in death, a city's story can continue to be told.
Thank you for listening to Further Records. Remember our other resources! We have tips on YouTube, funny videos on TikTok, and extra learning material on Instagram! In this podcast, we used
- Spooky: This is an informal adjective meaning "frightening or eerie." It's often used to describe things related to ghosts or Halloween.
- Bare: An adjective meaning "not covered or decorated; exposed." For example, a "bare tree" has no leaves.
- Show off: A phrasal verb meaning "to display something in a proud way to get attention." It often has a slightly negative connotation, like being arrogant. Another similar word in today’s episode is Opulent.
- Strained beyond capacity: It means that something was used so much that it could no longer handle the pressure or demand.
- No pun intended: An idiomatic phrase used after making a joke or a play on words to show that the humor was intentional. In this case, "lively Buenos Aires."
- Illustrious: An adjective meaning "well-known, respected, and admired for past achievements." It's a good synonym for famous or prominent.
- Opulent: An adjective meaning "rich and luxurious," often used to describe things that are very expensive and fancy.
Keep boosting your English journey with us! Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Comments? Questions? Concerns? Send us an email! We’d love to hear from you. See you next time!
MUSIC & SFX:
Waltz - Tchaikovsky Op. 40 Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"Savour the Moment" by Shane Ivers – https://www.silvermansound.com