It is the ghost of Eva Peron who inspires us to go there. As a part of the “must see, must do” list in Buenos Aires, her tomb has to be visited. So, though graves are not my idea of sightseeing, La Recoleta becomes part of the day’s itinerary.
La Recoleta Cemetery is a famous burial place located in the prominent and plush neighbourhood of Ricoleta in Buenos Aires. Created in 1822 by the French engineer Prospero Catelin, it is the oldest cemetery in the capital of Argentina. The layout of the cemetery was remodelled in 1881 by the Italian architect Juan Antonio Buschiazzo, while Torcuato de Alvear was the mayor of the city. This upscale burial ground is the final resting place of the rich and famous, influential and important Argentinians, scientists, poets, past Presidents and Generals, all interred in family vaults that are designed in a plethora of styles.
After a bus ride on Avenida Callao, we alight at a stop near Recoleta and continue to discover the area by foot. A high brick wall gives no clue as to what it encloses. The bricks are of perfect size and shape, well laid with curious details like metal spikes to ward off pigeons. It is the wall encircling the cemetery and walking further, we arrive at the entrance, an imposing structure with neo-classical gates and Greek columns. We walk inside and what we see is unimaginable. Is this a burial place? Or is it a ghost town with streets and squares?
A map of the entire place with the list of tombs is available at the entrance. There are small and large tombs with heights varying from 15-30 feet. Some have steps leading down to the crypts. Others have rows of niches for the coffins. Some have locked glass doors swathed with cobwebs. What is amazing is that it looks like a mini city, scaled down, having rows of streets with buildings on both sides. The streets are so narrow that the blocks cast a shadow on the opposite mausoleums, depending on the position of the sun. These walkways branch from a wider main street, relieved by an open space that acts like a town square. A diagonal axis is generated at the square as another street originates from the open space. Using the central court to orient ourselves, we identify the graves, counting the streets and blocks. Some of the tombs have architectural features, like cupolas over columns, skylights and curious shaped doorways, references of which can be found in several places in the city. Plaques, statues and busts in designated locations commemorate the dead.
As we walk along we see a pastiche of styles, generally art deco and neo-classical. There are stained glass windows, skylights and mosaics. At closer look, one can notice the details that were followed to drain rain water from the roof without exposing the drain pipes. And there are always surprises around the corner, like the tomb in exposed concrete with rectangular openings true to modern architecture. Perhaps the change of style is in keeping with the times as people are still being buried in this ancient cemetery.
Each mausoleum bears a family name etched on the facade. Brass or bronze plates are added on the building giving the name of the deceased member who has been interred. Very often one finds the date of death without any mention of the date of birth. As they are family-owned, they provide a burial place for generations. There are about 6,400 crypts within an area of 5 hectares.
While an overall maintenance is to be appreciated, the inside of several tombs lie in decay, with broken glass and plaster peeling off the walls.
A few examples of interesting tombs are described below.

Tomb of Hugo Stunz Director of the newspaper El Dia of La Plata:

El Dia was a newspaper established by four intellectuals in 1884, a year after the city La Plata was declared as the capital of the Buenos Aires Province. The plaque bearing his name is interesting as it is like a newspaper curling at the edges. The engraving of his face is very sharp and his eyes come alive behind his glasses.

Tomb of Pablo
Riccheri, 1859-1936:

Pablo Riccheri was Chief of the Army Staff and is remembered for the professionalisation and modernisation of the Army. As a tribute to him, the motorway linking the city of Buenos Aires to Ezieza International Airport is named after him. The interesting feature about his tomb is the design of the wall behind his statue. Above the head of the statue on the wall is a sword, half visible, half concealed with the pointed tip rising higher than the wall.

Tomb of Eva Duarte Peron (1919-1952), the First Lady of Argentina

The tomb of the dynamic and influential First Lady of Argentina, political leader
and philanthropist, it has a black granite facade and a glass door, not particularly interesting in design. For fear of being stolen, her body is interred in a concrete vault 27 feet below ground.

Tomb of Liliana
Crociati, daughter of a famous hairdresser, Italian painter, poet

It has an unusual design in the Gothic revival style. The windows are extremely pointed and stylised. Inside the tomb are low cots lined with bricks and Spanish tiles. Outside on the dais is a sculpture made by Wieredovol Viladrich, of the girl wearing a wedding dress with her hand on her dog Sabu. The dais also contains a plaque with a poem in Italian by her father. The death of the 26-year-old was tragic and bizarre as she died on her honeymoon at Innsbruck, Austria, when her hotel was struck by an avalanche killing her. Ironically, her favourite dog Sabu also died the same day 14,000 miles away.

The poem written by her father reads (translated from Spanish) as follows.

To my Daughter
Alone, I ask myself why
You left and left my heart destroyed
They wanted only you, why?
Why? Only destiny knows the reason, and I ask myself why?
Because we can’t be without you, why?
You were so beautiful that invidious nature destroyed you. Why?
I only ask myself why, if God exists, does he take away that which is His name.
Because He destroys us and leaves us to an eternity of sadness!
Why? I believe in fate and not in you. Why?
Because I only know that I always dream with you, why is that?
For all the love my heart feels for you.
Why? Why?

Mausoleum of Sarmiento

Dominigo Sarmiento (1811-1888) established a school in San Juan and was an authority in education. In 1831, he was exiled to Chile. He founded the Unversity of Chile and was sent to the US by the Chilean government to study their primary education. He returned 20 years later and became governor of San Juan and then returned to the US as ambassador of Argentina. In 1868, without the backing of a political party he was elected President with Adolfo Alsina as his running mate. After completing one term at Casa Rosada, he continued to serve in governmental and educational posts. The day he died is commemorated as Teacher’s day.
His tomb has an obelisk crowned by a condor which is a native of the Andes mountains, symbolic of the contributions made by him to Argentina and Chile. The open space with the Obelisk is a break in the narrow street.

Tomb of Victoria Ocampo, well-known poet and writer

Her literary salons at her home in the late 1970s were patronised by leading Argentinian writers like Luis Borjes. The tomb is simple and open in design with a dais protected by chains between bollards that look like miniature obelisks. The name Ocampo is engraved on a wall behind. Light wells with shallow pyramidal roofs, providing light and ventilation to the crypt below flank the wall on either side. Here again, the Obelisk is a feature which has its reference in the monument at the intersection of the main artery of Buenos Aires Avenida 9 De Julio and Avenida Corrientes.
The story will not be complete without a mention of the Recoleta cats. You can see well-fed cats resting in the shadow of the crypts or on the roofs, making eerie noises. At last count, they were approximately 80 in number. While you rest your tired feet, sitting on the dais provided for the departed souls, they come to you purring, looking at you quizzically, almost as if they were asking for food. People feed them customarily in the mornings and evenings. They now have such a strong connection with the cemetery that it is prohibited to take any of them home. They have been a part of the history of Recoleta for 20 years and are looked after by the caretaker of the cemetery. And it is the enduring image of the cats that lingers in the mind as you leave.